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Current AffairsFormer "people's prosecutor" enters prison for 1950 judicial murder
An 87-year-old former “people’s prosecutor” has entered prison to
begin a six-year sentence for her role in one of the most notorious
Communist show-trials of the 1950s, in which democratic politician Milada
Horáková was sent to the gallows on trumped up charges. Ludmila
Brožová-Polednová voluntarily entered prison on Thursday evening, and
will now undergo medical tests to ascertain whether she is fit to serve her
sentence.
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Current AffairsCatholic Church loses St Vitus case but vows to fight on
It’s instantly recognisable on Prague’s horizon, and has been subject
to legal battles for several years. St Vitus Cathedral, the gothic
masterpiece that towers over Prague Castle, does not belong to the Roman
Catholic Church – that was the verdict reached on Thursday by the
country’s Supreme Court.
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Current AffairsAnti-corruption watchdog concerned by dismissal of state prosecutor
Last week, the head of the State Prosecutor’s Office in Liberec was
dismissed after criticizing the way his own institution worked. Adam
Bašný claimed that Czech prosecutors had grossly mishandled the case of
former deputy prime minister Jiří Čunek, who was acquitted on charges of
fraud last year. Mr Bašný was sacked for a lack of professionalism when
making the statements, but his dismissal has provoked outcry. On Tuesday,
the head of the Czech branch of Transparency International, David
Ondráčka, voiced his concern:
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Current AffairsCourt compensates woman who became pregnant after sterilisation
A court in Prague handed down an unusual verdict on Monday in the case of a
woman who became pregnant despite having been sterilised. The Central
Bohemia Regional court, which is located in Prague, ordered a hospital in
Kutná Hora to pay 30,000 crowns – that’s about 1,500 U.S. dollars –
to the woman, who became pregnant a year after being sterilised at Kutná
Hora hospital four years ago.
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Current AffairsLisbon treaty faces further hurdles
After the Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that the Lisbon treaty
was in line with the Czech constitution, ratification of the key document
in the Czech Republic is arguably back on track. But even so, ratifying the
treaty may not be easy. Opponents who fear the document erodes national
sovereignty and cedes too much power to Brussels, have indicated they will
do everything in their power to stop it from being passed. Supporters,
meanwhile, would like to see the document ratified as soon as possible,
preferably before the Czech Republic takes up the EU presidency on January
1.
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Current AffairsSupport Lesbiens found guilty of song plagiarism
In the first verdict of its kind in this country, a court has ruled that
Support Lesbiens’ 2002 hit ‘In Da Yard’ plagiarised a song written by
singer Jan Kalousek nearly a decade earlier. Support Lesbiens – one of
the biggest bands in this country – say that they are dismayed by the
verdict, but that the song in question will continue to be played.
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Current AffairsKey Lisbon ruling paves way for Czech ratification to begin
Supporters of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty were given cause for celebration on
Wednesday morning as the Constitutional Court ruled that the treaty does
not violate the Czech Constitution. This landmark ruling paves the way for
the Czech parliament to begin the process of ratifying the treaty. The
Czech Republic is the only EU member which has not voted on Lisbon, amid a
dispute over sovereignty that has pitted the government against president
Václav Klaus. But Mr Klaus isn’t giving up yet.
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Current AffairsCourt session on constitutionality of Lisbon treaty adjourned until Wednesday
All eyes were on the Czech Constitutional Court on Tuesday, where a verdict
was expected on whether the EU’s Lisbon treaty is in line with the Czech
constitution. If the court had rejected Lisbon, it could well have thrown
the EU into disarray. The opposite verdict would have paved the way for the
Czech Parliament to vote on ratification. As it happened, the ruling has
been postponed until Wednesday.
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