Petr Švácha is a Czech entomologist with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. In 2008, Švácha was arrested by Indian authorities for collecting insect specimens in Singalila National Park without proper permits. A group of Indian scientists responded by launching a petition in their support which ultimately gathered more than 1,200 signatures from leading entomologists worldwide. However, Švácha was fined, while his assistant Emil Kučera was sentenced to three years imprisonment but fled home to the Czech Republic prior to sentencing. Their conviction was the first under India's Biological Diversity Act of 2002.
Švácha is editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Entomology.
References
- Personnel listing Archived 2012-07-31 at archive.today from Institute of Entomology, ASCR.
- Hulpachová, Markéta (July 2, 2008), "Czech entomologists arrested in India", The Prague Post.
- "The Case of Petr Svacha: What ails entomology in India?", Nature India, August 12, 2008, doi:10.1038/nindia.2008.257.
- ^ "Czech biologists protests against Indian jail term", Wildlife Extra.
- "Czech entomologist jailed in India", Daily Times (Pakistan), September 12, 2008.
- "Bailed bug collector takes flight - police", Independent Online (South Africa), October 29, 2008.
- European Journal of Entomology editorial board, retrieved 2009-12-26.