Today, ninety-year-old Jan Muzikář held the position of deputy commander of the Border Guard, the armed branch of the state power that guaranteed the operation of the Czechoslovak borders, between 1980 and 1989. During his tenure, he was responsible for the death or injury of at least 13 people, Aktuálně.cz refers to content of the claim.
“From the performance of his duties, he was also aware that as a result of the use of weapons or service dogs by members of the Border Guard, there were injuries and deaths of people who tried to cross the state border,” the server quotes state attorney Katarína Kandová.
She accuses Muzikář of 16 acts, during which there were deaths or injuries of persons who tried to leave communist Czechoslovakia. According to the plaintiff, the former chief of staff should have consistently demanded from his subordinates the most efficient performance of state border protection and prevention of border crossings in any way.
The musician refused to testify during the investigation and defended himself in the complaint by saying that he acted according to the laws of the time and the oath of office. He denies the blame for the shooting at the border and, according to him, individual border guards should be prosecuted, reports Aktuálně.cz.
According to the indictment, the activities of the Border Guard were already illegal at the time, prosecutor Kandová blames Muzikář for the death of three people and the serious injury of ten people. He proposes a two-year prison sentence suspended for three years and a fine of one hundred thousand crowns. Survivors and survivors of the Musician are asking for a total compensation of 1.8 million, the server adds.
