Czech man arrested in Brindisi for child abduction

A Czech national wanted across Europe for child abduction was arrested by border police at the port of Brindisi, Italy, on August 27, 2026. The man was traveling on a ferry arriving from Igoumenitsa, Greece, accompanied by his minor daughter.

The arrest follows a European Arrest Warrant issued by judicial authorities in Prague. According to Czech authorities, the incident dates back to 2024 in the Chodov district of Prague, when the man took custody of the child from her mother at a service station but refused to return her to her mother's home, violating court-ordered custody arrangements.

Judicial records indicate the child has been isolated from her mother for over two years, a situation described as posing serious risks to the minor's emotional and psychosocial development. The man faces charges including infringement of others' rights, endangering the education and development of a minor, and obstructing an official order. The identification was made possible through real-time consultation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II). Following the arrest, authorities activated services to ensure the protection of the child.