Ivan Dejmal

Who was Ivan Dejmal?

Ivan Dejmal was a Czech politician and environmentalist.

Dejmal studied Agricultural University in Prague from 1965 to 1970, but he was expelled following his arrest for activity in students’ movement. He spent four years in prison on charges of "subversive activity against the Republic".

He became a signatory to Charter 77 early in 1977 and soon became the head of its environmental commission, despite limited education in ecology. In 1987, Dejmal started to issue the samizdat journal Ecological Bulletin. In 1988, Dejmal founded the first independent ecological organization in Czechoslovakia the Ecological Society. In December 1989, Dejmal participated in the foundation of the Confederation of Political Prisoners.

In 1989, he was an active member of the Civic Forum, he headed the ecological section. From February 1991 to July 1992, he was Czech minister of the environment.

Dejmal was supporter of several environmental NGOs - active memberSpolečnost pro trvale udržitelný život, member of Honorary board of Děti Země etc.