The National Criminal Agency (NAKA) launched a criminal prosecution over death threats against RTVS host Marta Jančkárová, with the matter investigated as a crime of making dangerous threats, the police posted on its social network on Sunday.
"Unknown persons are threatening Marta Jančkárová in e-mails, couched in extremely aggressive and vulgar language, with physical liquidation, torture, mass rape and attacks against her family members," RTVS declared in its statement. The public broadcaster won't release the content of the e-mails due to their hateful and vulgar character.
The threatening e-mails and telephone calls were received after episode of Sobotné Dialógy political talkshow on February 18 and also after the one on February 25 when Smer-SD vice-chair Luboš Blaha was rejected by RTVS to be an unannounced part of the show instead of his party colleague Marián Kéry to be a discussion opponent of interim Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď.
In reaction to Blaha’s rejection Smer-SD announced it wanted to initiate an extraordinary session of the House Culture and Media Committee over what they see as an alleged censorship. RTVS has alerted politicians to their possible connection with the increasingly aggressive public communication against journalists. On Saturday, Smer-SD threatened RTVS’s director that it would "go for his throat" in connection with the fact that Smer MP Ľuboš Blaha was not allowed on the programme.
Jančkárová explained on-air at the beginning of the show that the Smer-SD spokesperson had confirmed Kery's participation as recently as on Wednesday (February 22). "Shortly before the show, however, Smer-SD vice-chair Luboš Blaha showed up to the radio building unannounced. The spokesperson, however, hadn't announced any changes or excused Mr. Kery from the show, which was shot on Friday (February 24) morning due to the itinerary of the interim Defence Ministry. Because of this, we're applying the principle of empty seat," Jančkárová added.
Source: TASR
