Arson trial: Dictaphones only from now on, broadcasting equipment not allowed

Today the trial of last year’s neo-Nazi arson attack on a Roma home in Vítkov once again featured recordings of the defendants’ wiretapped conversations, many of poor audio quality. Judge Miloslav Studnička had to replay the recording of a particular conversation more than once to determine whether the defendant was agreeing to the Vítkov plan or merely agreeing to go for a beer. In the end it was clear the conversation only included an agreement to visit a restaurant.

However, the wiretaps served another important purpose today. The lawyer for defendant Ivo Müller complained that recordings of the trial including some of the wiretaps had been broadcast by both Czech Radio and Czech Television. Both public broadcasting institutions have recorded the trial in full so far.

Petr Kausta, attorney for defendant David Vaculík, also attacked the role of the media, claiming the public has been receiving better access to information than the defendants themselves. “This is violating my client’s rights,” Kausta said as he demanded the judge ban live broadcasting from the courtroom. However, live broadcasting was performed by Czech Televisoin only on the first day of the trial when the charges were read. Judge Studnička acquiesced to the objections and had the public broadcasters’ recording equipment disconnected. “That sort of broadcasting is forbidden,” he said.

Karel Novák, chief news editor of Czech Television’s Ostrava station, regrets the decision. “We respect the court’s decision. However, it is a great shame that viewers cannot be familiarized with the course of such an important trial,” Novák said, adding that the broadcast of such reporting would mainly have a preventive effect. Novák does not yet know whether the television station will attempt to have the court’s decision overturned. “I’ve already consulted our lawyer. We are considering what to do next,” he said.

Speaking after the court made its decision, court spokesperson Jana Kozová said judges are permitted to ban media. “The penal code says the public has the right to make audio recordings in the courtroom,” she said, adding that simple dictaphones are what the law intends to be used. The radio and television stations, however, had set up technically much more complicated recording devices outside the courtroom and then connected them to the courtroom with cables. “That is something extra which the presiding judge does not have to allow,” Kozová explained.

The four young men attacked the home of a nine-member Romani family in the early morning hours of 19 April 2009. Three of them each threw a Molotov cocktail through the windows while a fourth waited in a getaway car. Three people were injured in the subsequent blaze. The youngest victim, Natálie, suffered extensive burns. The prosecution says the crime was an attempt to gain publicity for extremist groups and to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of Adolf Hitler.