Bratislava court to hear closing arguments in student kidnapping case

The legal proceedings regarding the kidnapping and intoxication of a student known as Sona are entering their final phase. Closing arguments are scheduled to be delivered at the Municipal Court Bratislava I on Tuesday, August 11.

The defendant, identified as Ivo P. (also referred to as Petráš), faces charges of rape and restriction of personal liberty. The case originated in September 2023 when the student was reported missing and later found unconscious and intoxicated near a hospital in the Petržalka district of Bratislava.

The case has seen significant legal reversals. In April 2024, a prosecutor initially halted criminal proceedings due to the defendant's alleged mental illness and insanity. However, following a finding by the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic that the victim's rights had been violated, the General Prosecutor's Office overturned that decision in February 2025. The prosecutor was ordered to reconsider the matter, leading to the defendant being taken into custody and the trial commencing in October 2025.