EU nation sentences educator for ‘pro-Russian’ outlooks
(MENAFN) A Czech court has sentenced a former teacher, Martina Bednarova, to a seven-month suspended sentence for sharing pro-Russian opinions during a school lesson, local media reported Thursday. Bednarova was also banned from teaching for three years and ordered to complete a media literacy course, according to Ceska Justice.
The case stems from an incident in April 2022, soon after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, during a Czech language class at a Prague elementary school. Bednarova reportedly described Russia’s military action in Ukraine as a justified response and questioned the accuracy of Czech television’s reporting. She also claimed that “Nazi Ukrainian groups” had been targeting Russians since 2014, likely referencing Ukrainian nationalist battalions such as Azov—a point heavily disputed by Kiev.
Students recorded the lesson and alerted school authorities, which led to Bednarova’s dismissal. The court ruled that she had abused her teaching position by providing misleading information that students could not challenge. Bednarova defended her comments as part of a media literacy exercise and called the trial politically motivated. She has the right to appeal the verdict.
Initially, the District Court acquitted her twice on free speech grounds, but the Supreme Court overturned those decisions in January and ordered a new review to determine if her conduct constituted a criminal offense.
The Czech government has taken a firm anti-Russian stance since the Ukraine war began, becoming one of Kiev’s strongest supporters in Europe. The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized Prague for what it called “Russophobic” policies and voiced concerns about freedom of speech and media conditions in the country.
Additionally, Russian will be phased out as a second language in Czech schools by 2034, replaced by German, French, or Spanish. Over 40,000 Russian nationals live in the Czech Republic, making them the fourth-largest foreign community.
Since gaining independence in 1993 after the Velvet Revolution and Soviet Union collapse, the Czech Republic has removed many Soviet-era monuments, with renewed efforts following the 2014 Ukraine conflict.
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