Defamation law in Czechia

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This article explores the codification of defamation in the Czech legal system. It is not written by lawyers, and does not replace a professional legal advice.

Relevant Wikidata terminology: natural person, defamation, defamation, libel, slander.

First, let us clarify related terminology in English:

• defamation
  • subclass: slander: spoken
  • subclass: libel: written
  • superclass: crime
  • superclass: tort

The above is likely to be an oversimplification.

About Czech term pomluva, which is informally well translated as defamation:

• In Wikidata, the term is here: defamation (Q20057997).
• A semi-implicit definition of pomluva is here: [1]. This is 40/2009 Sb. Zákon trestní zákoník.
• A pomluva (defamation) is a trestný čin (crime) since it is specified in trestní zákoník (penal code).
• The penalty is 1 year or 2 years in prison (odnětí svobody), depending on the medium of publication of the defamatory statements.
• The definition requires the statement made to be untrue.
• The definition stays silent about the intent or belief of the author of the potentially defamatory statement.
• The definition stays silent about demonstration or proof of truth or untruth of the statement; it merely requires the statement to be untrue.
• The definition does not make it clear who has the burden of proof as for truth.
• There is a contrasting term křivé obvinění (false accusation) that has a separate codification and penalty.
• Another contrasting term is urážka na cti (insult of honor) that has a separate codification and penalty.
• According to one source--but not explicitly the law--the object of defamation has to be a natural person in order for the title to apply.^[1]
• According to one source--but not explicitly the law--the person doing the defamation must have a certain intent.^[1]

Milan Knížák was vulgarly insulted by David Černý in a program of Czech Television. The judgment was that David Černý was to pay 100 000 CZK of compensation.^[2] It is not perfectly clear which title was applied; perhaps urážka na cti. However, the maximum fine for urážka na cti seems to be 30 000 CZK, surpassed by the awarded 100 000 CZK.

Japanese-Czech politician Tomio Okamura sued on account of having been labeled Pitomio, apparently from the Czech word pitomec.^[3] Which law was invoked is not perfectly clear. It seems Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms was invoked, as part of constitution, but this would need a more careful (or qualified) look. The case seems to have gone through multiple courts; it could be worthwhile to find out about the decisions.

Further reading:

• Wikipedia:cs: Tomio Okamura, wikipedia.org

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Nenechte si pomluvami zničit podnikání, zákon bude na vaší straně, Podnikatel.cz
2. ↑ Ústavní soud nezasáhl do sporu o zadostiučinění za vulgární výrok Davida Černého o Milanu Knížákovi, protože obecné soudy zohlednily všechna ústavně relevantní kritéri, 21 Sep 2017, usoud.cz
3. ↑ III. ÚS 2300/18 Česká republika Nález Ústavního soudu, usoud.cz

• Wikipedia: Defamation
• Wikipedia:cs: Pomluva
• § 184 - Pomluva in 40/2009 Sb. Zákon trestní zákoník, businesscenter.podnikatel.cz
• § 345 Křivé obvinění, zakony.centrum.cz
• 251/2016 Sb. Zákon o některých přestupcích -- codifies urážka na cti via phrasing "Fyzická osoba se dopustí přestupku tím, že a) jinému ublíží na cti tím, že ho zesměšní nebo ho jiným způsobem hrubě urazí [...]"
• Defamation, Privacy and Data Protection Law in Czech Republic by Eva Ondřejová, carter-ruck.com
• CzechDefamationLaw | The latest information about the development of the protection of personal rights in the Czech Republic, czechdefamationlaw.wordpress.com