Skip to main content

ArmA 3 developers released from Greek prison on bail after 4 months

Image used with permission by copyright holder

After more than four months behind bars, Bohemia Interactive (ArmA 3DayZ) staffers Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar were granted bail. The video game developers were arrested at the end of last summer while vacationing on the island of Lemnos in Greece. The Greek government accused the Czech nationals of espionage and imprisoned them. Why the Greek government would accuse game makers of espionage is rooted in Bohemia’s upcoming military simulator ArmA 3. The sequel actually features the island of Lemnos as a setting. The Greek government objected to its inclusion during the game’s production.

“We received this information from the attorney of the two arrested, who informed us that they will be released as soon as they pay the bail,” Czech ambassador to Greece Milos Kucera told Ceska Televize, “We have an unconfirmed report that both families have the money available and are discussing transferring the money to Greece with their attorney.”

Bail was reportedly set at 5,000 euro, or around $6,648.

Buchta and Pezlar were denied bail in November and told that they were to remain in prison until their trial. The conditions they stayed in were reportedly abysmal. “They’re in a cell with over 25 people, they sleep on the ground,” said Miloslav Buchta, Ivan’s father.

The two developers will still have to face trial, though it’s unclear when since Greece’s judges are on strike.

According to Bohemia Interactive’s Ota Vrtatko, the two did nothing out of the ordinary for tourists.

“Having travelled there, and after meeting personally with them both, as well as their lawyer who is fully acquainted with the Greek authority’s investigation file in detail, we can assure you that these insinuations are completely false and with substance,” said Vrtatko in September, “They took photographs and videos in public areas, as countless tourists arriving to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Greece may well do. These included a short video as they drove through the main road passing around the international airport, where in one short part of the video off in the distance some hangars and other buildings of the complex can be seen. The in-game Lemnos is close to completion, and it’s far from an identical replication of the real place.”

Editors' Recommendations

Anthony John Agnello
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…
PlayStation Plus’ most notable free April offerings come from Microsoft
Four players stand together in the 4v4 PvP mode of Minecraft Legends.

Sony outlined all the new offerings PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers can expect in April; surprisingly, Microsoft is the company behind two of this month's four offerings, Minecraft Legends, and the Overwatch 2 Mega Bundle.

On April 2, PS Plus can get those two things free of charge in addition to Immortals of Aveum and Skul: The Hero Slayer. Immortals of Aveum is a single-player shooter where players use magic instead of weapons. Although the thing it's most notable for is flopping upon its release, Immortals of Aveum is still a solid shooter that you might have missed out on, and you should give it a shot now that you can get it through PS Plus. Meanwhile, Skul: The Hero Slayer is a tough 2D platformer roguelike that should entertain fans of that genre for quite some time.

Read more
These are the 10 best gaming PCs I’d recommend to anyone
Graphics card in the CLX Hathor PC.

We review dozens of gaming PCs each year. In 2024, there are a ton of great options, but we've narrowed down a list of the 10 best gaming desktops that deserve your hard-earned money.

In 2024, we still recommend the Alienware Aurora R16 due to its fantastic design, solid performance, and decent value. However, there are several other options depending on your needs and budget. If you want a deeper look into how we evaluate gaming PCs, make sure to read our post on how we review desktops.

Read more
Mecha Break’s robot customization shakes up the battle royale formula
Mecha Break robot head with glowing blue eyes

Mecha Break isn't the kind of multiplayer game you can master right away.

You might equip a lance that you barely know how to use because it seemed like a good idea, and spend the rest of a round attempting to bash yourself into enemies to help your teammates. It incorporates action that's more similar to that of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon than it is to the shooter-focused gameplay in Gundam Evolution, Bandai Namco's multiplayer mecha shooter that shut down last year. Overwatch does come to mind, but in a way where mechs are still the focus rather than the pilots within them.

Read more