The police in the Czech Republic prosecuted a total of 75,474 individuals in the year 2022, marking an increase of 5,725 compared to the previous year, as stated in the annual police report released yesterday. The Moravia-Silesia Region and Prague witnessed the highest number of prosecutions, with 9,960 and 9,922 individuals respectively, while the Karlovy Vary Region had the lowest number with 2,487 prosecutions.

Of those prosecuted, nearly 80% were men over the age of 18, while 15% were women over 18. Notably, the number of prosecuted youths rose by 15% compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 3,708 cases in 2022. Furthermore, over 42% of those prosecuted had a history of prior offenses.

The report revealed that the most common reasons for prosecution in 2022 were obstructing the implementation of an official decision, which accounted for 13,590 cases, followed by burglary and currency forgery.

In terms of overall crime rates, the police registered 181,991 crimes in 2022, reflecting an increase of 18.8% compared to 2021. Notably, the number of suspected crimes committed by foreigners also rose by approximately one-third, totaling 8,427 incidents. The report further disclosed that 7,897 foreign nationals were prosecuted, primarily concentrated in Prague and the Central Bohemia Region. Among the nationalities of suspected foreign criminals, Ukrainians and Slovaks had the highest numbers with 2,568 and 2,563 cases respectively, followed by Vietnamese (493), Moldovans (468), and Poles (413). Foreigners were most commonly accused of offenses related to drunkenness, threats under the influence of substances, or obstruction of official decisions.

The report also highlighted that the police recorded 110 extremist crimes in 2022, a slight decrease from the previous year. Of these cases, 22 involved violence against groups or individuals, while 17 were linked to the establishment, support, or promotion of movements that aimed to suppress human rights and freedoms. Additionally, 15 offenses were connected to incitement to hatred. Ethnic intolerance was the primary motive for extremist crimes, accounting for 74 cases, marking a significant increase of over 60% compared to 2021. Conversely, crimes driven by religious intolerance decreased from eight to just one incident.

The annual police report provides crucial insights into the state of law enforcement in the Czech Republic, indicating areas of concern and focusing attention on the prevention and reduction of crimes in various regions.

Article by Prague Forum