Czech President Vaclav Klaus may be charged for high treason

Czech President Vaclav Klaus may be charged for high treason for the controversial freeing of prisoners in the presidential amnesty announced at the start of 2013, Czech internet daily Ceske noviny wrote February 26.

“The required number of 27 senators have signed a proposal to charge outgoing Czech President Vaclav Klaus with high treason in connection with his New Year´s amnesty,” Ceske noviny wrote.

The amnesty declared by Klaus is part of an initiative celebrating 20 years of independence for the Czech Republic. It will mostly involve criminals serving short sentences. What has outraged many politicians and media, is that the amnesty also includes financial criminals such as the bankers responsible for the fall of the Czech Central Bank, Union banka.

An estimated 7,416 prisoners are expected to be released under the scheme.

Milos Zeman, who will be replacing Klaus as President on March 8, maintains that the amnesty was not high treason. He has, however, criticized it in the past.

The complaint against Klaus will assessed by the Senate committee and sent on to the Constitutional Court if it gains an absolute majority in the Senate.