Ruling in Vítkov case due Oct. 20

A ruling on one of the most closely watched court cases of the year, which has been under way at a regional court in Ostrava for six months, is set for Oct. 20 and should be a landmark case for racially motivated acts of violence.

During closing arguments Oct. 5, State Prosecutor Brigita Bilíková called for prison sentences between 15 and 25 years for the four men alleged to have committed an arson attack on the home of a Roma family in Vítkov, north Moravia, in April 2009. The family's then 2-year-old daughter, Natálka Siváková, suffered burns on 80 percent of her body and had to undergo multiple surgical procedures during a several-month hospital stay, while two other family members were also seriously injured.

Bilíková called the actions of defendants David Vaculík, Ivo Müller, Václav Cojocar and Jaromír Lukeš premeditated and "racially motivated attempted murder."

The four men, who have ties to far-right groups, allegedly turned off the family's water supply before throwing petrol bombs into the home. The attack was met with widespread condemnation both nationally and internationally and is considered one of the most extreme examples of violence against the Czech Republic's Roma minority.

"It is obvious that the defendants did everything they could to make sure the residents of the home would burn to death or at least suffer serious injuries," Bilíková said. "They wanted to propagate their ideology and create an atmosphere of fear in the Roma population."

Pavel Uhl, a lawyer representing Natálka, the most badly injured in the attack, said an even longer prison sentence is appropriate.

"We suggested life sentences for all four defendants. We believe that for this specific case, the usual sentences for attempted murder are not harsh enough," Uhl said. "However, the state prosecutor made a different proposal."

The state prosecutor suggested the harshest possible sentence of 25 years for David Vaculík, who allegedly masterminded the attack. Vaculík refused to speak during the hearings, which he attended wearing a T-shirt with neo-Nazi symbols. The mildest recommended sentence was given to Ivo Müller, who Bilíková said has shown genuine regret during the trial.

"Personally, I would like to see proposals of 25 years in prison at a minimum for all four of them, but if the prosecution believes one of them genuinely regrets the crime, then she is right to reflect that in her proposals," said Gwendolyn Albert, a longtime Roma rights activist and consultant for human rights groups.

The violent nature of the case means most people see it as having potential for setting a precedent for future racially motivated attacks. 

"I do believe this is a landmark case," says Uhl. "It sends a signal, which is that the state is able to prosecute crimes of this kind, and in quite a swift manner."

Natálka's family would prefer to see the arsonists put away for life, an outcome that is unlikely. Meanwhile, Petr Kausta, the lawyer of defendant Vaculík, called the trial "unconstitutional."

"Whatever verdict is finally issued, my prediction is the extreme right and their many supporters will say the sentences are too harsh, whatever they are," Albert said. "Hopefully, Czech society will feel the trial was fair - that is probably the most important thing - and hopefully we will someday see an end to this senseless violence against the Roma."

Sarah Borufka can be reached at
sborufka@praguepost.com