Teacher Faces Seven-Month Sentence for ‘Pro-Russian’ Lesson
(MENAFN) A Czech court sentenced a former teacher to a seven-month suspended prison term after she expressed pro-Russian opinions during a school lesson, local news outlets reported Thursday.
Martina Bednarova received a three-year teaching ban and was mandated to complete a media literacy course, according to the Ceska Justice news portal. The court stated that Bednarova abused her position by sharing “misleading information” with students.
The controversy arose in April 2022, soon after the Ukraine conflict intensified, during a Czech language class at a Prague elementary school. Reports indicate Bednarova described Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine as a “justified way of resolving the situation” and questioned the accuracy of Czech television’s reports.
She further alleged that “Nazi Ukrainian groups” had been killing Russians since 2014, seemingly referencing Ukrainian nationalist units like the Azov battalion. Moscow claims these groups committed atrocities against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine, a charge denied by Kyiv. Students secretly recorded the lesson and informed school authorities, which led to Bednarova’s dismissal.
Judge Eliska Matyasova argued Bednarova did not merely express personal opinions but propagated falsehoods in a classroom environment where students had no chance to challenge them. Bednarova insisted her statements were part of a media literacy curriculum and described the case as politically motivated. She retains the right to appeal, as the verdict is not yet final.
The District Court initially acquitted Bednarova twice, with an appeals panel upholding the second decision citing free speech protections. However, in January, the Supreme Court overturned these rulings and ordered a retrial to determine whether her conduct constituted a criminal offense.
In recent years, Prague has adopted a firm anti-Russian stance, particularly following the outbreak of the Ukraine war, positioning itself as one of Kyiv’s most vocal allies.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
