page_title: Freedom of speech by country
section_title: Czech Republic
hierarchical_section_title: Freedom of speech by country / Europe / European Union / Czech Republic
caption_attribution_description: Čeština: Demonstrace proti umělým potratům před porodnicí na Obilním trhu
context_page_description: Freedom of speech is the concept of the inherent human right to voice one's opinion publicly without fear of censorship or punishment. "Speech" is not limited to public speaking and is generally taken to include other forms of expression. The right is preserved in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is granted formal recognition by the laws of most nations. Nonetheless the degree to which the right is upheld in practice varies greatly from one nation to another. In many nations, particularly those with authoritarian forms of government, overt government censorship is enforced. Censorship has also been claimed to occur in other forms and there are different approaches to issues such as hate speech, obscenity, and defamation laws.
  The following list is partially composed of the respective countries' government claims and does not necessarily reflect the de facto situation.
context_section_description: Freedom of speech in the Czech Republic is guaranteed by the Czech Charter of Fundamental Rights and Basic Freedoms, which has the same legal standing as the Czech Constitution. It is the first freedom of the charter's second division - political rights. It reads as follows:
  Article 17
  (1) The freedom of expression and the right to information are guaranteed.
  (2) Everyone has the right to express their opinion in speech, in writing, in the press, in pictures, or in any other form, as well as freely to seek, receive, and disseminate ideas and information irrespective of the frontiers of the State.
  (3) Censorship is not permitted.
  (4) The freedom of expression and the right to seek and disseminate information may be limited by law in the case of measures necessary in a democratic society for protecting the rights and freedoms of others, the security of the State, public security, public health, and morals.
  (5) State bodies and territorial self-governing bodies are obliged, in an appropriate manner, to provide information on their activities. Conditions therefore and the implementation thereof shall be provided for by law.
  Specific limitations of the freedom of speech within the meaning of Article 17(4) may be found in the Criminal Code as well in other enactments. These include the prohibition of:
  unauthorized handling of personal information (Article 180 of the Criminal Code), which protects the right to privacy,
  defamation (Article 184 of the Criminal Code),
  dissemination of pornography depicting disrespect to a human, abuse of an animal, or dissemination of any pornography to children (Article 191 of the Criminal Code),
  seducing to use or propagation of use of addictive substances other than alcohol (Article 287 of the Criminal Code), which protects public health,
  denigration of a nation, race, ethnic or other group of people (Article 355 of the Criminal Code), i.e. hate speech,
  inciting of hatred towards a group of people or inciting limitation of their civil rights (Article 356 of the Criminal Code),
  spreading of scaremongering information (Article 357 of the Criminal Code), e.g. fake bomb alerts,
  public incitement of perpetration of a crime (Article 364 of the Criminal Code),
  public approval of a felony crime (Article 365 of the Criminal Code),
  public display of sympathy towards a movement oriented at curbing rights of the people (Article 404 of the Criminal Code), e.g. propagation of hate-groups,
  public denial, questioning, endorsement or vindication of genocide (Article 405 of the Criminal Code), e.g. Auschwitz lie,
  incitement of an offensive war (Article 407 of the Criminal Code).
  Most of the limitations of the free speech in the Czech Republic aim at protection of rights of individuals or minority groups. Unlike in some other European countries there are no limits on speech criticizing or denigrating government, public officials or state symbols.
caption: Orthodox priest Libor Halík with a group of followers. Halík has been chanting daily for over five years against abortion via megaphone in front of a maternity hospital in Brno, Moravia.[92]
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