David Tygr Ploc, chair of the DOMOV political party, expressed concern over the recent arrest of an accredited Chinese journalist in the Czech Republic. He said that this case shows that despite the change of government in the country, laws persist that can seriously threaten freedom of expression.
Ploc drew attention in particular to the crime referred to as „working for a foreign power“, which has not yet been abolished. In his words, this section is worded so vaguely that it allows for a very broad interpretation. Legal experts, he said, warned that virtually anyone who publicly expressed positive views about states described as hostile to the Czech Republic or the European Union could be prosecuted under it.
The chair of the DOMOV party has therefore called on the Andrej Babiš government to fulfill its pre-election promises and to immediately repeal the laws restricting freedom of speech. He stressed that the free citizens of the Czech Republic cannot agree to the suppression of basic civil rights, which include freedom of expression.
Ploc also expressed hope that the current situation would lead to an open debate and a quick remedy. In his view, the protection of freedom of speech is one of the fundamental pillars of a democratic state and its weakening may have long-term negative consequences for the whole society.
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