Disciplinary tribunal annuls reprimand against state prosecutor in Bitcoin case
The disciplinary body of the High Court in Prague annulled the measure against prosecutor Lastovecká and returned the case for fresh review.
Disciplinary tribunal annuls reprimand against state prosecutor in Bitcoin case
The disciplinary tribunal of the High Court in Prague has annulled a reprimand that Radim Dragoun, the chief prosecutor of the Olomouc High Court, imposed on his subordinate state prosecutor Petra Lastovecká. The reason was her appearance in the media regarding the case involving the former minister of justice and cryptocurrency. The case now returns to Dragoun for him to reassess the entire matter.
Senate chairman Jan Kadlec stated during Tuesday's hearing that although he could simply have annulled the reprimand, he preferred to return the matter. The prosecutor should reconsider whether the state prosecutor had actually breached her duties and whether any sanction was warranted at all. Kadlec warned that some passages from the interview could theoretically constitute a breach, but other parts contained no wrongdoing according to the tribunal. He also emphasised that his decision does not obligate Dragoun to any specific conclusion.
Additionally, the tribunal criticised the form of the reprimand itself. Kadlec described it as unclear, lacking the required particulars and thus not subject to review. Moreover, Dragoun had not sought Lastovecká's position on the matter before issuing the measure. Should he wish to reprimand her again, he must first give her the opportunity to make a statement. The tribunal also took into account that the interview arose under special circumstances that the prosecutor herself did not create.
The dispute erupted around a media commentary in which Lastovecká explained her removal from the investigative team due to alleged bias. Dragoun believed that her remarks had undermined public confidence in the work of the state prosecutor's office and created the appearance of non-standard procedure. Lastovecká, for her part, described the entire process as unlawful and denied that she had speculated in the media.
According to information from Deník N, Lastovecká had proposed at an internal meeting to indict former minister Pavel Blažek (ODS) for receiving digital currency from a convicted drug distributor. Shortly thereafter, she was removed from the team. The police have been investigating Blažek since June for money laundering and abuse of official power; the politician denies the charges.
At the beginning of June, Lastovecká submitted her resignation, stating that she had lost confidence in the leadership of the prosecutor's office. The disciplinary measure by Dragoun itself became the definitive impetus for her departure. Although her position ends in late summer, she insisted on the reprimand being reviewed before the disciplinary body.
Source: Aktuálně.cz
Source: Aktuálně.cz