Assistant to Czech MP fined for calling for migrants to be shot, he may appeal

Michal Kraft, an advisor and assistant to Czech MP Jaroslav Foldyna, has been fined for publishing an article inciting hatred against migrants, according to the Czech daily Deník N, and if he were to appeal the verdict, a public trial would be held. "A court order was issued in this matter that has yet to take effect, and for that reason I will not be commenting further," court spokesperson Jana Špotová told the media.
Špotová did not want to specify what kind of punishment the judge had levied against Kraft. According to Deník N, Kraft has been fined several tens of thousands of Czech crowns.
The defendant has confirmed receipt of the sentence. "Yes, the court issued its decision in August," Kraft said when contacted.
He did not want to comment on the severity of the punishment or on whether he would appeal. "I have nothing more to say to you about this," he is quoted as saying.
According to the court, Kraft has several days in which to appeal. Foldyna, who left the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) in February to become a member of the "Freedom and Direct Democracy" (SPD) club in the lower house, previously said that while he disagreed with some of his assistant's opinions, the article in question did not bother him.
A former secretary of the SPD, Jaroslav Staník, was also convicted by court order two years ago for racist remarks he made in the restaurant located on the grounds of the Chamber of Deputies. He appealed and eventually was sentenced to one year's probation after a public trial.
Don't miss:
- Regional candidate for newest Czech party featured in music video by infamous establisher of neo-Nazi movement
- Czech bus driver refuses to drive city bus with bigoted campaign ad, mayor negotiates its removal
- Czech MP publishes long-refuted fake video purporting to show "refugees" attacking a police vehicle
- Facebook says it may disallow pages of far-right Czech party and its leaders
- Czech Interior Ministry report finds far-right party was the "super spreader" of hate last year
- Russia claims to be "concerned" about the very neo-Nazis they support in the Czech Republic
- Czech Internet users fall for ultra-right disinformation parody - and instead of laughing, they lash out
- Commentary: The opponents of racism are racists - current and former Czech Presidents show their anti-democratic colors to the world
Related articles:
- Czech mayor expelled from STAN party for talking about shooting Romani people put together an independent list for the elections, Christian Democrats have joined it
- German MEP of Romani origin Romeo Franz: The situation for Roma in Ukraine is shocking, I could not believe Roma live in such conditions in Europe
- International Roma Contact Group: OSCE states must treat Roma refugees from Ukraine equally and Ukraine must treat internally displaced Roma like other IDPs
- Czech Police arrest purveyors of disinformation who hatefully threatened refugees from Ukraine, court remands them into custody
- Emil Voráč: I distance myself from Romani supporters of xenophobic politicians in the Czech Republic
- Czech research finds one-third of Romani refugees from Ukraine have experienced discrimination here, most children are not in education, dual citizenship has not been "abused" by them
- Spain: Vigilantes set six homes of Romani families on fire in an act of collective punishment, but some European media call the incidents "peaceful demonstrations"
- Former Czech MP loses appeal over his hateful call to "get rid of useless people", the original sentence stands
- Hungary's Jewish Community protests PM Orbán's racist speech in which he said Hungarians don't want to become a "mixed-race" nation
- One refugee camp in Czech capital is now closing, remaining refugees from Ukraine there will be moved to another camp this afternoon
- Czech capital to close one camp for refugees from Ukraine, numbers of refugees reportedly declining
- Czech volunteers say second-largest city has broken its agreement by closing camp used by Romani refugees from Ukraine near Grand Hotel
Tags:
ČSSD, decision, Extremism, Hate violence, Immigrants, Immigration, Jaroslav Foldyna, Svoboda a přímá demokracie (SPD)HEADLINE NEWS
