Czech lawmakers move to end statute of limitations for murder

Murder could become prosecutable indefinitely in Czechia under amendments submitted by government and opposition lawmakers Wednesday, removing the country’s current 30-year statute of limitations for the crime.

Two competing proposals were introduced during the second reading of legislation that originally focused on expanding the criminal offence of failing to pay child support. The wider bill now carries amendments covering offenses against children, online prostitution and the illegal employment of foreigners.

The Chamber of Deputies must still hold a final vote on the legislation, which is expected in October at the earliest. The proposals could be revised or rejected before the bill is approved.

A group of coalition lawmakers led by Renáta Vesecká of the Motorists, who chairs the lower house’s constitutional and legal affairs committee, wants premeditated murder to carry no statute of limitations.

The proposal would also cover some crimes involving intentional deaths that are eligible for exceptional sentences, including certain terrorist offenses, acts of terror and offenses endangering public safety.

Under current Czech law, criminal liability for murder generally expires after 30 years. Removing the limit would allow investigators and prosecutors to pursue older cases regardless of how much time had passed.

Deputy Speaker Barbora Urbanová of Mayors and Independents submitted a similar but broader amendment. Her version would eliminate the statute of limitations for all forms of murder and other crimes carrying exceptional sentences when the perpetrator intentionally caused or sought to cause a death.

Urbanová also proposed giving survivors of childhood sexual offenses more time to seek prosecution. Under her amendment, the limitation period would begin once a victim turned 30 rather than at the current age of 18.

ANO parliamentary group chair Taťána Malá proposed an even higher threshold for certain crimes. In cases involving human trafficking, rape or sexual assault, the statute of limitations would begin when the victim reached 35.

Other proposed changes concern Czechia’s planned “child certificate,” a registry intended to prevent people convicted of specified offenses from working with children.

ANO lawmaker Helena Válková wants to reduce the certificate’s retroactive reach from 22 to 17 years because of the potential for errors. Courts would decide individually whether offenses committed by children and juveniles should appear in the registry, with the same approach applying to simple bodily injury.

Pirate MP Kateřina Stojanová proposed clarifying the definition of pimping in cases involving paid sexual content online. The provision would cover people who organize content featuring another person and profit from it.

Stojanová also wants victims to become eligible for financial assistance worth up to two average monthly salaries, which could be used for psychotherapy or compensation for nonmaterial harm.

A separate amendment from Labor Minister Aleš Juchelka would increase penalties for illegally employing foreign nationals and permit investigators to use wiretaps in such cases.

Lawmakers will decide which amendments remain when the broader bill reaches its final reading.