Slovak Supreme Court Judges Used Google Searches for Pirate Phrases in Corruption Verdict

Slovakia's Supreme Court has released a detailed 215-page ruling explaining its decision to overturn corruption convictions against Dušan Kováčik, a former special prosecutor. The appellate court's extensive judgment includes unusual elements such as Google searches for pirate phrases, analysis of a judge's letter referring to "poor Duško Kováčik," examination of relationships between a judge and a journalist, and scrutiny of private messages exchanged between police officers involved in the case. Kováčik previously served as head of the Special Prosecutor's Office, the institution responsible for prosecuting major corruption and organized crime cases in Slovakia. The Supreme Court's decision to reverse his corruption convictions represents a significant development in Slovak anti-corruption efforts, as the Special Prosecutor's Office has been central to investigations targeting high-level political and business figures.