Freedom and Direct Democracy wins case over controversial posters

Coalition member Freedom and Direct Democracy did not commit incitement to hatred or any other offence with controversial pre-election posters, the Prague Municipal Court ruled on Tuesday. The verdict upholds an appeal by the party and overturns a previous verdict, under which it was ordered to pay a fine of CZK 3 million.

The case centred on two 2024 Freedom and Direct Democracy election posters, one depicting a Black man holding a bloodied knife and the line “Shortages in healthcare will not be solved by ‘surgeons’ imported from abroad”.

The other proclaimed that only families who sent their children to school would receive state support – and suggested Roma families did not do so.

The party’s leader, Tomio Okamura, also faces charges in connection with the matter. However, MPs refused to lift his parliamentary immunity, meaning the justice system will deal with the cases separately.