This morning around 8:30AM the news reached us that Ivan and Martin are free on Bail. The bail-sum was set to 5000 Euro’s each.
We’ll bring more details about the news as it happens..
Checkout the English transcripts of Czech media :
www.ceskatelevize.cz
The Czechs detained in Greece to pay bail and return home
Athens/Prague – Two developers from Czech Republic who were held in a
Greek jail since September on suspicion of espionage will be, according
to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released on bail.
Several days ago their attorney Dagmar Raupachová said that the Greek
authorities should make a decision regarding their further appeal during
January, mid February at the latest. Martin Pezlar and Ivan Buchta will
be able to return back to the Czech Republic once they are released.
Prime Minister Petr Nečas was so informed by his Greek counterpart
Antonis Samaras.
“We received this information from the attorney of the two arrested,
who informed us, that they will be released as soon as they pay the
bail,” told Česká Televize the deputy ambassador in Greece Miloš Kučera.
The bail has been, according to him, set to 5 thousand Euro. “We have
an unconfirmed report that both families have the money available and
are discussing transferring the money to Greece with their attorney,”
Mr. Kučera added.
He highlights that this is just a release on bail, it isn’t a
definitive end of the cause, court dealings will continue further. The
time frame cannot be estimated, Greek judges are still on strike.
“So far me do not have the decision in a written form,” Dagmar
Raupachová said. The attorney that monitors the case on request of the
family therefore, according to her own words, does not want to comment
on the case much yet. She is happy that her long-term effort wasn’t for
nothing. According to her the whole administrative matter should be
resolved within several days.
Government’s spokesperson Michal Schuster:
“As a result of repeated dealings, today the Greek Prime Minister
Antonis Samaras informed the Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas over the
telephone that the two Czech arrested by Greek police because of
supposed photography of military objects on the island of Lemnos have
been released. Petr Nečas expressed appreciation for the efforts of PM
Antonis Samaras and thanked him.”
The pair of game developers were arrested by the Greek police due to
photography of military objects. According to information from Greek
press the two men were monitored since their arrival by the Greek
security service who supposedly also contacted Czech security services.
An appeal for their release of the detained Czechs has previously
come from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Petr Nečas and
even a presidential letter by Václav Klaus, all until now unsuccessful.
www.novinky.cz :
Two Czechs suspected of espionage in Greece are free
The two Czechs, who have been detained in Greece since last year’s
September due to suspicion of military espionage will be released on
bail, the office of Prime Minister Petr Nečas said on Tuesday.
“As a result of repeated dealings, today the Greek Prime Minister
Antonis Samaras informed Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas over the
telephone that the two Czechs arrested by Greek police because of
supposed photography of military objects on the island of Lemnos have
been released. Both can now return back to the Czech Republic. PM Petr
Nečas expressed appreciation for the efforts of PM Antonis Samaras and
thanked him,” said Petr Nečas’ spokesperson Michal Schuster on Tuesday.
“Thankfully they have been released, but they will still be held
accountable [for their supposed crime in court] later, but their not in
jail anymore. Thank god for that. I’d like to thank the Greek side for
this
Both men aged 28 and 33 years, who work for a video game-producing
company Bohemia Interactive faced up to 20 years in prison if they were
convicted.
The men supposedly rerecorded and photographed strategic military objects to be used in an upcoming military shooter.
After Bohemia Interactive denied that its employees were in Greece
and illegally obtained photos as part of their work, the Czech President
Václav Klaus also sided with them when he sent a letter to his Greek
counterpart Karlos Papoulias with a request for their release.
www.idnes.cz
Czechs detained in Greece can be released on bail, soon to be home
Two Czech developers who are being detained in Greece on suspicion of
espionage since September will be released and will be able to return
to the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed and
added that the bail is set to 5,000 Euro for each – approximately 128
thousand KČ.
The mother of one of the detained – Iveta Pezlarová – reacted to the
information about her son’s release very emotionally. “I cannot
describe, we rather didn’t count on anything. It’s unbelievable,” she
sobbed while on the telephone.
A Greek investigative committee has decided the release of both
Czechs, it came to the conclusion that there is no threat to the Greek
national security. As Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, this reason
could have a large impact on the further court dealings.
Both Czechs – 28 years old Martin Pezlar and 33 years old Ivan Buchta
– were arrested on the island of Lemnos in September. According to
Greek authorities they were illegally photographing local military
objects. In theory, they could have been imprisoned for up to 20 years.
The Czechs refuted that and said they were there on holiday and were
only taking pictures as a reminder of the holiday.
That was, however, in conflict with the fact that they were found
with at least seven photos and seven videos (sic) of “sensitive”
material. Both are also employees of a Czech IT company developing
digital war games (sic), including one that shows Lemnos including its
military objects.
Their release was agreed on by prime ministers
According to previous news from Greek press, the Greek police said
the men were taking pictures on Lemnos for an upcoming game. [Bohemia
Interactive] has denied that the two were on the island as part of their
job and later stated that they went there for a personal holiday and
all the photos were taken because they were tourists.
Czech politicians have gotten involved in the matter, from the
Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg all the way to President
Václav Klaus. Near the end of the case communication between prime
ministers of both countries took place.
“As a result of repeated dealings, today the Greek Prime Minister
Antonis Samaras informed Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas over the
telephone that the two Czechs arrested by Greek police because of
supposed photography of military objects on the island of Lemnos have
been released,” said government’s spokesperson Michal Schuster.
According to him, Mr. Nečas appreciated Mr. Samaras’ efforts.
The Greek media have stated before Christmas, pointing to the court
files, that Buchta’s and Pezlar’s arrest was probably prepared in
advance. Since their arrival they were supposed to be followed by Greek
security service and the subsequent arrest by the police was done based
on their instructions.
It
has been several weeks that Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar arrived home
from their ‘extended vacation’ and we think its time to get some
questions answered, and things explained.
