Prague/Oslo, Jan 6 (CTK) – A demonstration against the taking of children away from their families practised by the Norwegian social office Barnevernet is scheduled in Prague for January 16 as one in a series of similar events that was launched in Oslo on Tuesday.
The Prague protest will be staged in connection with the case of the Michalak family, from whom the Norwegian authority took away two sons, now ten and six years old, based on a suspicion of abuse and neglected care, which was not confirmed, however.
The respective Norwegian court, however, considered Barnevernet´s findings serious and placed the boys in foster care.
Their Czech mother, Eva Michalakova, is now striving for a revision of the case and she wants the decision of last September, which stripped her of her parental rights and adoption of the younger son, to be cancelled. The appeals proceedings will be held in Norway in February.
A number of families from various countries, including Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, have recently complained about Barnevernet´s policy.
Many foreigners with their children fled Norway for their home or other countries. This has allegedly involved several hundred children in the past ten years.
Czech MEP Tomas Zdechovsky (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL), who has committed himself in the Michalaks case, said a list of dozens of similar cases has been released at http://www.stopbarnevernet.com/stories.
Zdechovsky said the Oslo protest will be followed by protests in Washington and London on Friday and similar events will be staged in Brussels, Bucharest, Frankfurt, Madrid and Ottawa at the weekend.
The Prague demonstration will be followed by protests in New Delhi on January 17, Bratislava on January 23 and in Warsaw on January 30.
Zdechovsky said other cities may stage similar protests, including in Ireland.
The Czech iDnes server wrote that demonstrations will be held in Latvia and Russia on the same day like in Prauge, or January 16.
Czech Labour and Social Affairs Minister Michaela Marksova said previously children that authorities believe are in danger can also be taken away from their families in the Czech Republic.
Our Child foundation said last year Czech authorities take 2000 to 3000 children from their families annually.
