Czech Helsinki Committee criticises the judicial response to Týc and Smetana cases

The Czech Helsinki Committee has criticised the judicial response to two, high-profile cases of vandalism. The artist known as Roman Týc began is currently serving a one-month prison sentence for refusing to pay a fine imposed for replacing dozens of figures on pedestrian crossings with various absurd images. Týc paid damages but rejected the fine, saying he had merely set the figures free. In an unrelated, recent case, bus driver Roman Smetana paid damages but refused community service for drawing on about thirty advertisements for political parties. He was sentenced to 100 days in prison by the wife of a major figure of the Civic Democratic Party, which was the only party to press charges. The Czech Helsinki Committee says that the judicial responses in both cases were vastly disproportionate and compared the acts to the famous colouring of a soviet tank pink after the Velvet Revolution.