Constitutional court: Suspended sentence for rape violated victim’s rights

The Constitutional Court has ruled that the Regional Court in Brno violated the rights of a young victim by giving her stepfather a suspended sentence for rape and child pornography. Although the Constitutional Court did not overturn the verdict, it emphasized its limited powers and noted the victim may now seek compensation from the state.

The case sparked public outrage. The offender had forced the girl into sex up to five times a week for over a year. The court stressed that any future conditional sentence for sexual crimes must be properly justified and called for systemic reforms to protect victims.