Czech prosecutor to ask police whether minor who lied to them broke the law

The Czech Press Agency reports that the state prosecutor in Břeclav, Anežka Forstová, has said there is a high probability her office will ask police to verify next week whether 15-year-old Petr Zhyvacinsky of Břeclav broke the law when he lied about having been assaulted by “Romani people”. Forstová said the next steps in the case will be taken by her subordinate, who has been overseeing the investigation into the infamous scandal.

“She will decide what to do next. Nevertheless, I see filing a motion with police to investigate as a logical, obvious step in the pursuit of justice,” Forstová said. She was not willing to guess what conclusions police might come to.

Detectives have received two separate complaints of a crime in recent days regarding the boy and his statements. Police spokesperson Hana Kejlová says police are already investigating them. It is not yet known what the precise formulation of the complaints involved.

In April, 15-year-old Petr was allegedly performing in front of three friends when he attempted a gymnastics exercise on the railing of the eighth floor of a building in the center of Břeclav. He did not succeed. The boy reportedly tumbled down to the seventh floor and seriously injured himself. He called his mother by telephone. When she took him to the hospital in her car, he told her a group of “Romani people” had beaten him up because he hadn’t had a cigarette to give them.

During a subsequent operation, doctors removed one of the boy’s kidneys. His liver and spleen were damaged as well. After coming out of sedation, he learned that his untrue description of the incident was being reported in the media, but he did not address it. In Břeclav a demonstration of more than 2 000 people then took place at which Romani people were criticized. Right-wing extremists from the Workers’ Social Justice Party (DSSS) were linked to the demonstration. Petr’s mother Oksana closely cooperated with the party and was the one who prompted hysteria around the case.

The police investigation later revealed that the story of an assault had been invented, and police shelved those particular charges. The mother of the boy has apologized to all Romani people on behalf of herself and her son. It is not clear whether the boy will be prosecuted for his lie. There is no consensus among legal experts as to whether relevant laws exist under which he could be charged.