Prague detectives from the extremism and terrorism department have concluded their investigation into a series of threatening letters sent to Czech politicians. A 70-year-old man from the Prachatice region, whose name has not been released by the police, has been charged with the crime of threatening with the intent to influence an official. The case has been transferred to the District State Prosecutor's Office for Prague 1, with a recommendation for prosecution.

The accused sent dozens of threatening letters targeting prominent political figures, including President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Minister of Defense Jana Černochová, Member of the European Parliament and Senator Miroslava Němcová. The letters contained vulgar insults and serious threats, such as being stabbed with a knife, being sent to a gas chamber, or being shot.

Detectives were able to identify the suspect thanks to media coverage of the case, when a witness recognized the man in footage broadcast on television. During questioning, the accused denied committing the crime, so expert assessments were requested from the fields of language and handwriting analysis. The Military Police also cooperated in the investigation. The letters were sent from the South Bohemian Region, which helped the police narrow down the list of suspects. The perpetrator faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for the crime of threatening.

Similar Cases:

  • In 2020, the police investigated a case of anonymous email threats sent to then-Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch. The threats contained warnings of physical violence, including threats of death, and were motivated by dissatisfaction with government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The perpetrator's name was not released, but thanks to the analysis of digital traces (IP addresses and email metadata), the perpetrator was apprehended. He was an individual from the Moravian-Silesian Region. The perpetrator was charged with the crime of dangerous threats and sentenced to a suspended sentence of one year with a two-year probationary period.
  • In 2022, a Senator of the Czech Republic (the victim's name was not specifically mentioned, but it was a member of the Senate from the Plzeň Region) received several anonymous letters containing threats of death. The threats were linked to his political views, particularly regarding support for foreign policy. The letters contained threats of physical violence and were sent by mail. The identity of the perpetrator was revealed through DNA analysis on the envelopes and postage stamps. The perpetrator's name was not released, but he was a middle-aged man from Plzeň. The perpetrator was charged with the crime of dangerous threats and sentenced to a one-year prison sentence without suspension.
  • In 2023, a Member of the Chamber of Deputies (mentioned in the media as a member of the ruling coalition, specifically from the ODS, but the name was not mentioned) received a series of threatening messages through social media, particularly on the platform X. The messages contained threats of physical violence and insults related to her political activities, specifically her support for foreign aid. The police identified the perpetrator through analysis of the IP address and user account on the social media platform. The perpetrator's name was not released, but he was a young man from Prague. The perpetrator was charged with the offenses of disturbing the peace and dangerous threats. The case ended in court with a suspended sentence of 18 months.
Similar cases are more common abroad. For example, in Germany, following attacks on politicians, such as Matthias Ecke (SPD) in Dresden in 2024, and the release of personal data of politician Janine Wissler in 2020, police raids against the authors of hateful posts intensified, including raids on 170 locations in June 2025. Subsequently, the Ministry of the Interior proposed stricter penalties and better protection of politicians' privacy. In France, threats against politicians, such as the threats of dismemberment faced by the mayor of Bron, Jérémy Bréaud, in 2020, are addressed through police protection and investigations by the gendarmerie, often in connection with racism or protests, such as those following the death of Adama Traoré. In the United Kingdom, the police investigate threats against politicians, particularly following the murders of MPs Jo Cox (2016) and David Amess (2021), with a focus on cyber threats and extremist motivations, implementing measures such as increased security and analysis of online threats. Policie.cz/gnews.cz - GH