The Office for Personal Data Protection (ÚOOÚ) has launched administrative proceedings against Nova Television on November 7, 2023, following a controversial live broadcast of the verdict in the case against former MP Dominik Feri. The television station is under scrutiny for disclosing data about the women involved in the rape case during the live broadcast.

Barbora Dlabáčková, spokesperson for TV Nova, acknowledged the initiation of administrative proceedings but refrained from providing further comments on the matter.

The Office for Personal Data Protection suspects that Nova Television may have committed an offense under the Personal Data Processing Act by revealing data that identifies three individuals in the role of victims through a publicly accessible computer network.

The controversy stems from last week’s live broadcast of the verdict by Nova Television, during which the District Court for Prague 3 sentenced Dominik Feri to three years in prison for two counts of rape and an attempted rape. The broadcast included prohibited data about the victims, prompting concerns about privacy and ethical standards.

Adéla Hořejší, the representative of the affected women, criticized the broadcast, emphasizing that journalists did not have court permission to air the proceedings. Radek Mařík, chairman of the district court, confirmed that the judge had not authorized image or sound transmissions from the courtroom.

The initiation of administrative proceedings underscores the significance of protecting personal data, especially in sensitive legal cases, and highlights the potential consequences for media outlets that breach privacy regulations in their reporting.

Article by Prague Forum