Slovak police reported the detention of a man who posted threats to kill President Zuzana Čaputová and members of parliament on social networks, according to the portal SME.SK. The authorities confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody after a three-minute video circulated in which he directed violent threats at the president, deputies of the Slovak parliament, and their families. The incident prompted immediate investigation and heightened security concerns across the capitol.
Officials clarified that the individual, who is 50 years old, had already faced prior legal proceedings in the past. He was apprehended in the city of Trnava, and the case has been described as a serious threat to public figures and democratic institutions. The police stressed that the arrest followed a rapid assessment of the online material and subsequent corroborative checks to verify the credibility of the threats.
In a related development, former writer Zakhar Prilepin recalled a past encounter in which he believes a person attempted to harm him on the eve of a suspected assassination attempt. The recollection underscores the broader pattern of threats against public figures and the ongoing security challenges faced by prominent cultural and political voices.
On May 6, a car explosion occurred in the Nizhny Novgorod region involving Prilepin and his deputy, Alexander Shubin. Shubin was killed instantly, while Prilepin survived after undergoing multiple surgeries and a prolonged medical recovery. Authorities have detained a suspect who might have been linked to the car bombing, and the Investigative Committee of Russia has labeled the event a terrorist attack. The incident has drawn international attention to the volatile security landscape affecting public figures and political dissidents in the region.
Ongoing investigations continue to probe the connection between social-media threats and real-world violence, with authorities emphasizing the need for prompt reporting of online danger signals and swift action to prevent potential harm to leaders and citizens alike.