Czech Constitutional Court rejects Blažek and Titz complaints in bitcoin case

The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic has rejected complaints filed by former Justice Minister Pavel Blažek and lawyer Kárim Titz regarding the so-called ‘bitcoin case’. The court also dismissed a petition from Tomáš Jiřikovský, a central figure in the investigation involving bitcoin donations to the Ministry of Justice.

Blažek and Titz argued that the police and prosecution acted with excessive haste to file indictments before mid-August, which they claimed prevented an effective defense. They also raised concerns regarding leaks from case files and intense media coverage, which Blažek argued violated the principle of the presumption of innocence.

The court ruled that the determination of guilt remains the responsibility of the criminal court, where the defense can still present all arguments and objections. Regarding the media coverage, the court noted that as a former Justice Minister, Blažek is a public figure, and there is a significant public interest in the details of the case. The court further stated that even if the accumulation of procedural steps was driven by the need to meet indictment deadlines, it does not constitute an unconstitutional violation if the authorities acted within the law.