Current Affairs Former "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.
Brožová-Polednová was sentenced in November 2007, and since then has
been fighting the verdict in court. She’s lost a series of appeals - even
an appeal from the supreme state attorney to president Klaus to pardon her
was turned down. Most recently the Supreme Court turned down her latest
appeal, which means her only avenue left is the Constitutional Court then
the European Court of Justice.
However she surprised everyone by turning up at Plzeň’s Bory prison on Thursday evening after saying goodbye to her family. She was immediately transferred to Prague’s Pankrác Prison hospital for tests to determine whether she is fit enough to serve her sentence. If she is, she’ll be sent to a special geriatric facility at a prison in Světlá nad Sázavou in Central Bohemia where she’ll begin her six year sentence for her role in the judicial murder of Milada Horáková.
Světlá nad Sázavou prison
Brožová-Polednová is 87, and there is a lot of debate over whether
it’s right to send someone of her age to prison. However Milada
Horáková is a national heroine in this country, and Mrs Polednová is
absolutely unrepentant for her role in the 1950 trial, saying she was part
of a struggle against western imperialists.
Brožová-Polednová’s case was not helped by some of the evidence that
came to light during the trial, in particular allegations that she had told
Horáková’s executioners – “don’t break her neck on the noose –
suffocate the bitch”. Certainly it seems Horáková – who was quite
innocent of the espionage and treason charges against her - died a horrible
and agonising death. So sympathy for Brožová-Polednová, whose prison
cell, while not luxurious, will not be too squalid either, is rather
limited.
