Former judge Zdeněk Sovák dies amid corruption trial

Former Prague High Court judge Zdeněk Sovák has died at the age of 76, resulting in the legal termination of his corruption trial. The proceedings were halted just before the delivery of closing arguments due to his death.

Sovák had been facing charges of bribery and abuse of power, with a potential prison sentence of five to twelve years. Investigators alleged that he demanded tens of millions of crowns to secure lighter sentences for the construction company Metrostav, specifically regarding a ban on public contracts related to the David Rath corruption case. Additionally, the indictment claimed Sovák canceled a non-final six-year sentence for Armenian businessman Gagik Tonyan in exchange for paintings.

Throughout the trial, which began in 2024, Sovák maintained his innocence, claiming police wiretaps were merely “chatter” or “boasting.” He frequently cited poor health, leading to multiple court postponements and ambulance calls during hearings.