Czech President Pardons Four Special Forces Over Afghan Detainee Death

Czech President Petr Pavel has pardoned four special forces soldiers who were facing prosecution over the 2018 death of an Afghan detainee, Wahidullah Khan, following an attack on coalition troops at the Shindand base in Afghanistan. The soldiers had been charged with offenses including extortion, insubordination, failure to provide aid, and neglect of duty, but were not primarily accused of violent crimes. Pavel's decision took into account the exceptional wartime circumstances, the complex international context, and the nearly seven-year length of the investigation. The incident involved Khan, who had killed a Czech soldier and wounded two others before being detained and allegedly beaten by US and Czech forces, leading to his death shortly after being returned to Afghan custody. The pardons were granted using a constitutional provision and were supported by the Prime Minister. The Czech Republic was part of the NATO mission in Afghanistan from 2002 until 2021.