Filip Turek ordered to apologize to Hnutí Duha over flood comments

A Prague municipal court has ruled that Filip Turek, an honorary president of the Motorist party and government climate policy envoy, must issue an apology to the environmental organization Hnutí Duha. The court issued a default judgment after Turek failed to respond to the lawsuit within the required 30-day period.

The legal action stems from Facebook posts made by Turek in April, in which he claimed that several people died during floods because Hnutí Duha had prevented the construction of a necessary dam. He further referred to members of the organization as ‘parasites that need to be exterminated.’

Under the court's verdict, Turek must send a direct apology to the movement and keep a public apology posted on his Facebook profile for at least seven days. The apology must state that his previous statements were untrue and constituted an unjustified interference with the organization's reputation.

Hnutí Duha's director, Zuzana Lenhartová, stated that the lawsuits aim to define unacceptable political communication and prevent the escalation of public debate through false accusations against civic organizations.