Czech Republic

Czechia has had no dedicated prostitution statute since the 1922 Venereal Disease Prevention Act abolished licensed brothels; the 1990 post-communist reforms removed criminal liability for selling sex itself. The active provision is Trestní zákoník (Act No. 40/2009) §189 — kuplířství — which criminalises inducing, hiring, enticing or profiting from another's prostitution (6 months–4 years; 2–8 years aggravated). §190 separately criminalises prostitution "endangering the moral development of children" near schools, playgrounds, churches and cemeteries. The City of Prague has repeatedly drafted a Regulation Act (Zákon o regulaci prostituce) — most recently re-tabled in 2014, 2018 and a 2020 revision pushed by Prague city hall — proposing licensing, mandatory monthly STI checks, age 18+ EU-only registration, and zoning. None has cleared Parliament. The October 2025 election returned Andrej Babiš's ANO to first place; ANO's previous position (Finance Minister Schillerová) was that legalisation would raise less revenue than claimed and increase stigma, so a near-term Regulation Act remains unlikely.

Prague concentrates the indoor market — clubs and "privát" apartments in Smíchov (Prague 5), Holešovice (Prague 7) and around Václavské náměstí — with the Interior Ministry counting ~200 venues in the capital. The German-border belt (Dubí, Cheb and Aš in Karlovy Vary region, Rozvadov on the D5) historically formed the so-called "biggest brothel in Europe," serving German and Austrian clients drawn by lower prices despite legal/regulated systems on their own side. That market has sharply contracted: Dubí dropped from ~50 brothels and 400 workers at peak to roughly four venues and 20–30 workers. Drivers of the decline include the D8 motorway bypassing town strips, municipal ID-check ordinances, and post-EU-accession free movement letting Romanian/Bulgarian workers move further west. A March 2025 police operation in Předlice (Ústí nad Labem) identified at least 12 underage victims, reigniting child-protection debate.

Czechia enforces GDPR through the Úřad pro ochranu osobních údajů (ÚOOÚ); platform operators hosting escort ads have civil/criminal exposure if found to "arrange" sex work under §189, but personal advertising by independent workers is widely tolerated. There is no Czech equivalent of FOSTA/SESTA, so major listing sites operate openly. Main practical risk: Czech banks refusing service to anything visibly tied to sex work.

Schengen rules apply: EU/EEA citizens may live and work in Czechia without restriction and self-employ as živnostník under a generic trade. Non-EU workers cannot obtain a residence permit for sex work itself, since the activity is not a recognised profession. Foreign workers stopped near borders (Dubí, Cheb, Rozvadov) are regularly screened for trafficking. Prague immigration enforcement is comparatively relaxed for EU nationals but strict on visa overstay.

Independent advertising is broadly tolerated. Risk is concentrated on third-party operators (agencies/clubs) under §189. Foreign-hosted international directories used by EU-tier workers.

• Rozkoš bez Rizika (R-R) — frontline NGO since 1992 (12 of 14 regions)
• R-R counselling portal — direct intake
• Charita Česká republika — nationwide social support