CZECH PRESIDENT PARDONS THOUSANDS
Czech President Vaclav Klaus celebrated the New Year by pardoning over 7,000 prisoners (almost a third of the total inmate population), an act which has many outraged citizens demanding he be tried for treason. Many will not accept his explanation that the prisons were too crowded or that he just wanted to celebrate the country’s 20th anniversary by giving as many people as possible “a fresh start”. Instead, they are thinking of ALL the victims of all these prisoners, many of which lost their entire life savings in asset stripping fraud cases. They are also thinking of the cyclist who lost his life when he was negligently run over by singer Dara Rolins (a Shakira look-alike), who was released only a few months after her conviction. Or the former football executive who committed massive credit card fraud.
This controversial pardon also included the cancellation of certain trials that have gone on for more than 8 years, including a few high profile cases of embezzlement and fraud. Although Klaus insists he gave a blanket pardon without cherry picking certain defendants (and did this at the end of his final term in office), many are suspicious that he has done this purely to help out his inner circle of friends and supporters. They also think it swayed the outcome of the latest election.
Much of the public is also frustrated and discouraged by the message that is given when white collar crimes go unpunished. So many of these cases took years to prosecute and just when the victims finally got some satisfaction, the swindlers were released. Also, to make matters worse, dozens of pardoned prisoners were back in prison within a week after committing another crime a few days after their release. In a rare public statement of disrespect for Klaus, many school children and over 600 mayors tore his picture down from their walls.
Copyright © 2013 (Michelle Parsons, Getting Back on Your Path). All Rights Reserved.
