Archive: Society | Crime Crime
Authorship of presidential amnesty still unclear
A broad amnesty declared in January by outgoing president Václav Klaus
continues to cause controversy. It remains unclear who authored the final
draft of the amnesty which, among other things, threw out cases involving
alleged large-scale corruption. Now a one-time aide to Mr. Klaus is saying
the Justice Ministry is responsible. However, it strongly denies the
allegation. More
Top anti-graft cop quits over spat with state attorney
The Czech police’s anti-corruption unit has been relatively visible in
recent times, with operations culminating in charges against two former
ministers. But now the unit’s head has announced he is to quit after a
spat with the high state attorney, who had levelled some damning charges
against his department. More
Surveillance camera boom in Czech towns and cities evokes concerns over loss of privacy
Many Czech towns and cities are filling with video surveillance cameras as
an effective way of curbing crime. While many have welcomed the practice,
others warn that it could lead to a massive invasion of privacy. More
Magazine
In Magazine: Czech bettors lose money on the new Pope; a good way to beat
the cold is to attend the annual wine-tasting event From wine cellar to
wine cellar; check out the capital’s latest attraction: a six star
one-room hotel and, a police search is on for 19th century explorer Emil
Holub’s pipe. More
Government’s anti-drug policy switches focus to underage drinking
With the number of young marihuana users falling in the Czech Republic, the
government has found a new target for its anti-drugs strategy: underage
drinking, in which young Czechs top European statistics. But a new action
plan unveiled on Wednesday contains a novel element – a proposal to
introduce a substitute therapy aimed at weaning people off increasingly
popular methamphetamines. I discussed the fresh action plan with the
national anti-drug coordinator, Jindřich Vobořil. More
The search continues for two Czech women abducted in south-west Pakistan
The Czech Republic has intensified diplomatic efforts to try to secure the
release of two Czech women kidnapped in south-west Pakistan last week. No
one has claimed responsibility for the abduction or asked for a ransom.
Although the Pakistani authorities are working on the case, previous
kidnappings in the troubled province suggest it may take weeks to find
them. More
OW doc Beyond Wriezen delivers gripping portrait of post-prison lives of three young Germans
Beyond Wriezen, a gripping portrayal of three troubled young men as they
attempt – with varying degrees of success – to build new lives after
being released from a prison near Berlin, is among the 14 films in
competition at the One World festival of human rights documentaries, which
is currently running in Prague. I discussed the idea behind Beyond Wriezen
with its Dutch director Daniel Abma, who in the past was a counsellor at
Wriezen. More
Heavy metal singer Blythe cleared of manslaughter
Randy Blythe, the singer for US band Lamb of God, was cleared of
manslaughter on Tuesday by Prague’s Municipal Court, a charge related to
the death of a young fan at the band’s show three years ago. According to
a panel of three judges, the singer committed no crime and blame for the
death largely lay elsewhere: with the show’s organisers. More
Will President Klaus face high treason charges over controversial amnesty?
The wide-ranging amnesty declared in January by the outgoing Czech
president, Václav Klaus, continues to cause controversy. On Thursday a
public hearing on the subject was held at the Senate, where an
unprecedented legal move has been considered – charging President Klaus
with high treason. More
Fatal explosion in Moravian town likely not due to tragic accident but shocking crime
When news broke at the weekend of a devastating explosion that killed at
least five people in an apartment block in north Moravia, it appeared to be
a tragic accident. Now it has emerged that the deaths were probably the
result of a heinous crime committed by a resident, who himself was killed
by the blast. More
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