PRAGUE, January 26 Forensic experts are investigating a man, who used the Z sign at one of the actions of the Communist Party branch in the city of Nymburk (in the central part of the country), Czech TV reported on Friday, citing the Nymburk prosecutor's office.
“»At one of the actions of the communists of Nymburk, a Russian flag hung on the podium with a St. George ribbon attached to it in the form of the letter Z. One of the participants in the event drew the attention of the police to this, after whose intervention the flag disappeared from the podium. However, the police began an investigation into this case and in January of this year opened a criminal case against the man who hung the Z sign, who can be charged with denying, approving or questioning genocide. In this case, he faces, in accordance with Czech law, up to three years in prison,” noted in the TV report.
The letter Z in the Czech Republic and many other European countries is considered a symbol of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, any propaganda of which is prohibited in the Czech Republic and is regarded as a criminal offense.
Last year, Czech TV reported nine convictions against local citizens for supporting the special operation. In addition, about 60 criminal cases were initiated for this, and in several dozen more cases the police checked for evidence of a crime. In reality, one person was convicted under the article of denying, approving or questioning genocide; the rest of the perpetrators got off with suspended sentences or fines.
For example, a young man who took part in a rally on Wenceslas Square in the center of Prague and had a badge with the letter Z on his backpack was detained by the police and later sentenced by the Prague 1 district court to 6 months of suspended imprisonment with a two-year reprieve. He is also prohibited from appearing in Prague for one year and must pay a fine of 12 thousand crowns (about $530).