Prague Municipal Court considers amnesty unconstitutional

The Prague Municipal Court judge has submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court to rule on the constitutionality of the whole of the amnesty that was issued by President Václav Klaus on 1 January. The petition deems the entire amnesty as unconstitutional mainly on the basis that it was not discussed by all the members of the government. The amnesty was signed by the president and countersigned by the prime minister. Apparently, the only other member of the government who knew about the amnesty before it was announced was the Justice Minister Pavel Blažek. The Municipal Court asked the Constitutional Court to either strike the amnesty down in its entirety or, as an alternative solution, to strike down a provision that halted some long running criminal cases.

Author: Masha Volynsky