Charter signatories call on Zeman to abdicate over support for Putin

A group of public figures say that thanks to his support for Vladimir Putin, the Czech president, Miloš Zeman, became an accomplice to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and should stand down. Eight people signed a statement to that effect, among them one-time Czech prime minister Petr Pithart, former ombudswoman Anna Šabatová and other signatories of Charter 77, which called on Czechoslovakia’s then Communist government to respect their human rights commitments.

President Zeman fostered warm relations with the Kremlin for several years. Last week he condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine and referred to Putin as a madman.