Czech Republic sentences man who attended rally wearing Wagner Group PMC chevrons
A Prague district court handed down a suspended sentence on Wednesday, 5 April to a man who came to a pro-Russian rally on Wenceslas Square last month wearing a Z symbol and the chevron of the Wagner Group Private Military Company (PMC).
Source: European Pravda; Eva Shviglerova, a court spokeswoman, in a comment to ČTK
Details: A court in the Czech capital found the man guilty of the crime of denying and endorsing genocide and gave him a six-month suspended prison sentence with execution of the sentence suspended for two years.
In addition, he was banned from Prague for one year and ordered to pay a fine of 12,000 Czech crowns [US$ 585].
The court passed the sentence without scheduling the main trial. The defendant may file an appeal, and if it is successful, the sentence will be overturned and the case will be considered in open court.
According to photos from the 11 March demonstration, the man had the letter Z, which is used by the Russian army during the war in Ukraine, on his backpack as well as the logo of the Russian Wagner PMC on his sleeve.
Investigators from the Czech Criminal Police are investigating a total of seven cases in connection with the action on that day. These include an attempt by some demonstrators to break into the National Museum, an attempt to tear down the Ukrainian flag, and damage to a car with Ukrainian number plates.
The Czech government has consistently supported Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, including through military assistance.
As reported, Czech courts have already convicted nine people for endorsing Russian aggression against Ukraine.
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