Picture left - Meeting with President Havel in National Museum. Picture right – Opening of exhibition “Chechnya The Final Solution…” (presenting war crimes of Russian Army in Chechnya) in Vaclav Havel Library on
Nov. 17th 2008. President Havel praises me for organizing this exhibition for viewing in several cities of the Czech Republic. The exhibition was on loan from its author Adam Borowski, Poland. This exhibition was also shown in central building of the European Parliament, but there was shortly after opening canceled and expelled because of shockingly brutal photographs. Today marks the day when Václav Havel passed away eight years ago.
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Václav Havel: „One inherited disadvantage of democracy is that to those who are devoted to it places limit of action, but those that disrespect it are able to do almost anything.”
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The 26th November 2019 marks the 9th anniversary of the founding of our group aimed for the support of freedom and democracy in our country. At the same day last year (2018), quite symbolically, when I was absent due to attendance at trial proceeding, the judicial executor broke door locks to my house and busted inside. Without any independent control, he searched and inspected the premise, from the basement to the attic. In lieu of the fine 800.000 crowns for the “crime” of freedom of speech I was under (6x100.000 fines + 200.000 so called “expense” of the executor), confiscated all my computers, several personal articles and few family heirlooms valued cca 10.000 crowns. More pricey articles he passed over. For more than 20 months my house was under suspension, and my land and bank accounts, too. At the present, I am under direct threat that my house will be fully confiscated I will become homeless.
I informed about this unruly, and in my view even rogue and illegal action, all public institutions – the court that ordered the search, the police, the Czech Executor Chamber (its Chairman, JUDr. Vladimir Plasil, was twice sentenced for his illegal actions, but according to Ministry of Justice, for now all is just fine), the Office for Protection of Personal Data and the Ministry of Justice. The official view is that all this is fully lawful conduct, including the physical attack on my person by the executor Mgr. Jan Benes. About this attack I informed the State Security Police and the Ombudsman’s Office (he was the only one who “replied” – on this obvious attack on my person, the freedom of speech, and public information – he appended to this case a number with a note, that his investigation of my case has no postponement power).
Despite the fact that the (so called) fine was fully paid due to the public auction of my house, that even the executor admitted, he still refused to return my computers and to cancel the auction itself – specifically refused to hand over the back-up disc with all my data, or even exchange it for new one (unfortunately, just after loading new data, thanks to my haste to quickly leave to support one lady doctor at her trial under proceedings that day, I forgot this valuable disc next to computer). The executor sold all my confiscated property for the sum of 16.000 crowns. I was able to attend this auction as a chairman of Sodales Solonis z.s., and got my property back. But sorry to say, all my data collected in Switzerland and in the Czech Republic during last 30 years are lost. There is no doubt in my mind that those stolen data would interest lots of many others, and that they were sold under the table for more then million crowns…
Just how this executor “protected” stored data can be seen among others from his action next day after the theft, when I confronted him about this. At that time, according to the law I, as a journalist, demanded back instruments needed for my job. He demanded that I sign protocol of returned things, and when I refused because among the listed items was computer that was missing, he got mad and physically attacked me. Later on, when the computer was “discovered”, he refused to say where it was for the last 24 hours, only “sorry, it was forgotten in a car”… If I was home during his so called “search”, I would never allow him to confiscate those things, since to me, as accredited journalist, they represent “tools of the trade” and under the law are protected from confiscation. The executor was fully aware of this law no doubt; to him it was the main reason why he chose to proceed with his search and seizure at that time and not to wait for my return. Also the video of the search, that according to the law has to be recorded during performance of the actions, was not available for me to see. The video was not available for any other controlling institution – which I consider as a proof of illegal proceedings performed by this executor! Now the question is - did executor Mgr. Jan Benes recorded this required video at all?!
Up to 9th anniversary of Sodales Solonis, over 9500 articles were published on many international web pages (Czech, German and English) all over the world. Hundreds of relevant trial proceedings were monitored that were only slightly mentioned or fully ignored by our media. Many relevant causes of individuals and state institutions were described and despite quite heavy social impact, they were again ignored by our media. I myself initiated many penal proceedings when state was robbed, on some occasions of hundreds of million crowns – all of this was fully reported to police and state prosecutors and despite clear and documented evidence, was put aside, save one exception concerning the greatest tax fraud connected to motor fuel that reached level of billions crowns. In this case that is still open, I helpfully cooperated with police. Some sentences were handed over, but the lost billions courts did not find, or better, did not look for. The crooks hired expensive lawyers (12 altogether), and the state put against them one lady prosecutor nearing retirement age… At the moment, the case stands appealed in High Court in Prague, media not interested… Case might last years. Some crooks might even go to prison, maybe, and then for good behavior will be early released to return to enjoy their billions. They are not the only ones enjoying 30 years of lawlessness in the Czech Republic, where money can buy anything.
Our media closely watch my work, but the guts to inform our public about my cases, they sure do not have. When our media on occasion mentions something about my person, then as a rule the report is negative, malicious slander, without my ability to defend myself. Independence, same as a freedom, has its price!
During the last 9 years I was, and still am, subject of countless criminal and legal charges, instigation and reports to state institutions such as fiscal office. I am put down to my sponsors, dishonored in mass media unable to respond, and smeared by dark underworld well known to our public (see for example the case of well-known lady singer, her husband embezzled cca 500 million crown, now is under distrainment of 20 million crown, and their son was sentenced to 8 years prison in above mentioned motor fuel case). This year I won first case – after 8 years – in 2011 when I was sued for 3.650.000. I had a lawyer then. Now I am facing others multimillion charges, in similarly constructed case, but without any legal representation. My lawyer still was not able to collect any payment from winning case back in 2011 year. Just now I received note to pay 1.050.000 crown in case going back to year 2016. The freedom of speech in our country is present just on paper, in the name only - the fight for the real one is still going on…
I am citizen of Switzerland and the Czech Republic, still persecuted by post-Communist structures that consider me to be the new “class enemy”. Now I am forced to act according to the article 23 of the Constitution of the Czech Republic that says that a citizen has right to stand up and resist if there exists attempt to do away with democratic order and basic human rights and freedom, and the constitutional organs are unable (or unwilling) to act.
I consider all of this as a “State appreciation” of my work, the work of our group and the full need to continue in our activities – all of this in the interest of our country, our citizens and those who cannot or are unable to defend themselves – I pledge to continue to serve as long as my health allows me to do so, and am able to nourish myself, have place to stay and live.
To serve the Country is without pay, many others heavily paid already. In their names and legacy I shall continue my work!
Jan Šinágl, 18.12.2019
Chairman Sodales Solonis z.s.
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Václav Havel: „One inherited disadvantage of democracy is that to those who are devoted to it places limit of action, but those that disrespect it are able to do almost anything.”
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