Prague district court rules communist-era border patrol chief not guilty of abuse of office

The District Court for Prague 1 has acquitted the former deputy chief of the communist-era border patrol Jan Muzikář of charges of abuse of office. The prosecutor accused him of having led border guards to injure and kill several people trying to cross the state border under communism. The judge  concluded that the man had not abused his position, merely followed the instructions given to him by his superiors. The verdict is not binding and the prosecutor appealed it on the spot.