Czech President Pardons Special Forces Amid Afghan Soldier Death Probe
Czech President Petr Pavel granted pardons to four special forces members accused of crimes linked to an Afghan soldier's death. The soldiers faced charges of extortion and insubordination. President Pavel considered the war's exceptional nature and that they weren't primarily charged with violent crimes.
In a significant development, Czech President Petr Pavel pardoned four members of the nation's special forces on Wednesday. These soldiers had been facing legal action over alleged misconduct related to the death of Wahidullah Khan, a detained Afghan soldier.
The charges against the members of the 601st special operations forces group included extortion, insubordination, violation of guard duty obligations, and failure to provide aid. The accusations were linked to a 2018 incident at Afghanistan's Shindand base, where Khan was allegedly beaten by U.S. and Czech troops before dying.
President Pavel's office stated that the pardons were issued after scrutinizing the war's exceptional circumstances and recognizing that the soldiers weren't mainly charged with violent offenses. The New York Times reported the case back in 2018, shedding light on the international investigation then underway. The Czech army maintained a presence in Afghanistan from 2002 until 2021.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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