Czech women's lobby boycotting sexual guru's event

Czech women's lobby boycotting sexual guru's event

4. 10. 2017

The Czech Women's Lobby has refused to take part in a national meeting preceding the U.N. examination of Czech state of human rights because the event is organised by the Guru Jara Path, director Hana Stelzerova told CTK on Tuesday, hinting at "Guru Jara" who was convicted of rape.

Two years ago, "Guru Jara" or Jaroslav Dobes was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping women, but a higher court cancelled the verdict and returned the case for reappraisal.

Dobes is now wanted as a fugitive. In May 2015, the police detained him in the Philippines, but the country has no extradition treaty with the Czech Republic.

"As an organisation defending human rights we will not take part in the national round-table discussion called the Universal Periodical Examination in the Czech Republic on October 4, 2017, because the event is organised by the controversial Guru Jara Path," Stelzerova said.

The Czech Women's Lobby is an umbrella organisation of 32 groups for human rights, families and women defence.

Dobes established an esoteric school called Poetrie. Along with a female assistant of his, he is facing rape charges.

According to the indictment, "Guru Jara" was getting women and girls rid of "hitches." He claimed their problems were due to the hitches virtually left inside them by their previous partners.

During sexual intercourse, he said he got them rid of the hitches. The clients had no idea of the technique to be used for "de-hitching."

The indictment describes eight cases which occurred between 2004 and 2007.

The lobby called "all those involved" to contribute to a fair trial.

The Guru Jara Path says on its webpage that it organises the Czech event under the U.N. auspices.

It says that Czech authorities persecute "Guru Jara." It also complains about a television series from the judiciary environment. One of its episodes described the rapes of women committed by the guru. It argues that the programme was not based on facts, but on slander.

The Czech Republic will undergo its universal periodical examination this November. The procedure evaluates the state of human rights in U.N. countries.

Other countries and NGOs do this once in roughly 4.5 years. The Czech Republic was evaluated so in 2008 and 2012.