Ex-minister Rath walks free after serving half jail term

One-time minister David Rath has been freed from prison on probation after serving half of a seven-year term for corruption. The Brno Regional Court announced on Tuesday that it had rejected an appeal from the state prosecutor against a previous verdict granting Mr. Rath a conditional release.

Mr. Rath was a minister of health and governor of the Central Bohemia Region while an influential member of the Social Democrats. He was arrested in 2012 over taking bribes to award public contracts.