NGO platform: President’s chancellor interfered with judicial independence

A platform of NGOs focused on fighting corruption and increasing transparency in government has filed a criminal complaint against the Czech president’s chancellor for allegedly interfering with the independence of the courts.

A legal analysis compiled by the platform Rekonstrukce státu (State Reconstruction) alleges that Chancellor Vratislav Mynář tried to influence judges in key courts to take decisions on cases relating to the Office of the President or in which President Miloš Zeman had a vested interest.

Rekonstrukce státu says in the analysis that Mr Mynář may have committed the crime of interfering with judicial independence when he met with Constitutional Judge Vojtech Šimíček and sent a letter to another judge, Josef Bax, when he was led the Supreme Administrative Court.

President Zeman may also have committing the same crime, the NGO platform says. Mr. Zeman and his right hand man have been accused in recent weeks by a group of Senators, among others, of seeking to influence court decisions.

Author: Brian Kenety