Police start taking steps against former MP Feri, ask for victims to come forward

The Czech Police have started taking steps toward criminal proceedings against former TOP 09 MP Dominik Feri. He resigned from the Chamber of Deputies last week after several women accused him of sexual violence and harassment. He has denied the allegations, and no charges have yet been filed in the case.

“The case will now be subject to standard criminal proceedings, which are not public by law, so no further information can be provided. As soon as possible, we will of course provide the information within the legal limits,” he added.

The Prague 1 State Attorney's Office is supervising the Feri case, Daněk said.

“We also ask other potential victims who have not yet contacted the police to do so by calling 158 or the investigator directly at 731 195 066,” Daněk said

On May 25, news serversDeník N and Alarm both published statements from several women who claim that inappropriately between 2015 and 2020. Eight women said that Feri had sex with them even though they clearly refused. Others said he had tried to get their naked pictures from them and that he humiliated them in public with sexually offensive statements.

After the accusations were published, he announced his resignation from his mandate to serve a deputy in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house Czech parliament. He also said he would not participate in upcoming the parliamentary elections scheduled for Oct 8–9. He resigned from the TOP 09 party on May 28.

Feri has denied that he committed sexual violence, but apologized for inappropriate or improper behavior in some situations in the past, adding that he had changed.

He said he gave up his deputy's mandate to prevent the “mendacious and manipulative” media articles from harming his party colleagues. He stressed that he would defend himself in court against media outlets that spread false information about him.

If Feri does not fill a similar political post, he will be entitled to severance pay. The amount depends on his monthly salary and the number of years in the Chamber of Deputies. In Feri's case, the sum will amount to four salaries, which will total several hundred thousand crowns.

Feri, at age 24, had been a rising star and one of the most high-profile members of the center-right TOP 09 party. He has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies since 2017, when he was elected at the age of 21. This made the youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies in its history. He was also the first ever Black member of the lower house, with both Czech and Ethiopian heritage.

This has been the 20th change in the Chamber of Deputies in this election term, with five occurring this year. Feri’s vacant seat has been filled by documentary film-maker Olga Sommerová.