President Pavel issues first pardons since taking office

President Petr Pavel has issued four pardons, the first since he took office in March last year. The Office of the President said on Tuesday that the head of state had granted pardons to two mothers of minors, a foreigner long resident in Czechia and a Czech sentenced to 17 years in another country for drug smuggling.

Under the previous president, Miloš Zeman, the power of clemency was transferred to the Ministry of Justice. However, President Pavel took that right back at the start of this year.

The Office of the President has received over 700 requests for pardons since the beginning of 2024.