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Foreigners and the Czech police: your right to your own language and an interpreter, even at night

You do not speak Czech and need the police? Which language you may use, who pays the interpreter, what happens at night when there is no interpreter, what not to sign, useful Czech phrases and a free complaint template with a translation.

It is three in the morning, something serious has happened and you hardly speak any Czech. The police arrive, but you do not understand them and they do not understand you. The law provides for this: you have a right to your own language and the state pays the interpreter. How does it work in practice?

1. You may speak your own language

The police and other criminal justice authorities work in Czech. However, anyone who declares that they do not speak Czech may use their mother tongue, or a language they say they speak, before them (Section 2(14) of Act No. 141/1961 Coll., the Code of Criminal Procedure). Saying so is enough; you do not have to prove anything. This applies to the person reporting a crime, the victim, a witness and a suspect alike.

2. The state provides and pays for the interpreter

If a statement, a document or another procedural step needs interpreting, an interpreter is brought in (Section 28(1) of Act No. 141/1961 Coll.). The costs necessary for the criminal proceedings are borne by the state (Section 151(1) of Act No. 141/1961 Coll.). So you do not pay the interpreter the police bring in. The state does not, however, cover your own costs, such as a translation you order yourself.

3. It is night and there is no interpreter. What now?

• Safety comes first. If delay would be dangerous, the police first carry out urgent steps that cannot be repeated, such as securing the scene and evidence, and write the record afterwards (Section 158(3) of Act No. 141/1961 Coll.).
• In exceptional cases, a person who is not on the official list of interpreters can act as interpreter if they have the necessary knowledge and agree. This is possible when a registered interpreter cannot do it or it would involve disproportionate difficulty (Section 26(1) of Act No. 354/2019 Coll.).
• You can give a full statement later, with an interpreter. Your right to your own language does not disappear.

4. What to do on the spot

• Say which language you speak and ask for it to be recorded that you need an interpreter.
• Do not sign anything you do not understand. Ask for the content to be interpreted to you.
• Note the officer's identification number. An officer must identify themselves by uniform, service card or badge with a clearly visible identification number (Section 12(1) of Act No. 273/2008 Coll., on the Police of the Czech Republic).
• Before acting, the officer should explain the legal grounds and, where the action interferes with your rights, also your rights and obligations (Section 13 of Act No. 273/2008 Coll.). If you do not understand, say so.
• Keep evidence: photos, messages, names of witnesses, time and place.

5. Five useful Czech sentences

• Nerozumím dobře česky. — I do not understand Czech well.
• Potřebuji tlumočníka do jazyka: ukrajinského / ruského / anglického. — I need a Ukrainian / Russian / English interpreter.
• Chci podat trestní oznámení. — I want to file a criminal complaint.
• Bez překladu nic nepodepíšu. — I will not sign anything without a translation.
• Prosím o kopii protokolu. — Please give me a copy of the record.

6. Are you a victim? You get the information in your language

The police must confirm in writing to a victim that the complaint was received; a copy of the record also counts as confirmation (Section 8(3) of Act No. 45/2013 Coll., on Victims of Crime). The victim receives this confirmation and basic information about their rights in a language they declare they understand, or in the official language of their country (Section 12(1) of Act No. 45/2013 Coll.). A particularly vulnerable victim, such as a child, may ask for an interpreter of the same or the opposite sex (Section 19(2) of Act No. 45/2013 Coll. and Section 2(4) of Act No. 45/2013 Coll.).

7. Complaint template with a translation

8. Sources

• Act No. 141/1961 Coll., the Code of Criminal Procedure, current version.
• Act No. 354/2019 Coll., on Court Interpreters and Court Translators, current version.
• Act No. 273/2008 Coll., on the Police of the Czech Republic, current version.
• Act No. 45/2013 Coll., on Victims of Crime, current version.
• If you are in danger right now, call the Police of the Czech Republic on 158 or the emergency line 112.

This article is general information, not legal advice for a specific case. Updated 30 Oct 2026 in line with the laws in force. — 777 PRODUCTION s.r.o.