Former Central Bohemia regional governor, ex-MP, and former health minister David Rath has been released from prison in Brno after serving a sentence for corruption, according to his defense lawyer Roman Jelinek. Rath, 57 years old, had previously served half of his original seven-year sentence but was sent back to prison after being found guilty in a second branch of the corruption case. The court extended his prison term by a year. Rath, a medical doctor by profession, was convicted of accepting bribes and manipulating tenders in the Central Bohemian Region.

The decision to release Rath was made by the Brno Municipal Court, and he was released the following day. The public prosecutor had the opportunity to file a complaint, but the deadline expired without any action taken.

In the initial branch of the corruption case, Rath was given seven years in prison for unlawfully influencing tenders for the reconstruction of the Bustehrad mansion near Prague. He was released on probation after serving 3.5 years, but the extension of his sentence in the second branch of the case led to his return to prison.

Rath is not the only figure involved in the case. Former Kladno hospital director Katerina Kottova and her husband, former MP Petr Kott, were also convicted, along with six other individuals and nine firms. The court handed down prison sentences and suspended sentences, depending on the individuals involved.

Following his release, Rath has been appointed as the patients’ ombudsman for the Czech Republic by the Czech Patients’ Association. He previously held the position for Prague and the Central Bohemian Region. Lubos Olejar, president of the Patients’ Association, stated that Rath’s scope of work has now been extended to cover the entire country. Rath will also continue working as a doctor in his surgery in Hostivice, central Bohemia, and at the healthcare center in the Brno prison, where he worked during his sentence.

Rath has stated that he will not receive financial remuneration for his role as patients’ ombudsman. His appointment has sparked discussion and controversy due to his previous conviction for corruption, but the association believes he can make a positive contribution to patient advocacy and healthcare matters.

As Rath begins his new role, the case’s verdict in the second branch of the corruption case, along with appeals and requests for an appellate review, will be closely watched.

Article by Prague Forum