UN criticises Czech detentions, strip-searches of refugees

The Czech Republic is committing systematic human rights violations by detaining refugees for up to 90 days and strip-searching them for money to pay for their own detention, the U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Thursday.

He also said he was alarmed by a xenophobic public discourse, including Islamophobic statements by Czech President Milos Zeman, and concerned about the conditions in detention facilities.

Children were also detained, which was unjustifiable, he said.