Constitutional Court: surveillance of restitution lawyer illegal

The Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that the surveillance of lawyer Jaroslav Capka, who represented Frantisek Oldrich Kinsky in several property restitution causes, was illegal and unsubstantiated. In 2004, a court in Prague approved interception of Mr Capka's telephone because of fraud suspicions. Within the Czech legal system, however, it is illegal to intercept phone calls between attorneys and their clients.

The family property of Frantisek Oldrich Kinsky was confiscated after the Second World War on the bases of the Benes decrees. In 1990, Mr Kinsky filed many lawsuits against the confiscation; most the cases have not been yet resolved.

Author: Jan Richter