Czech Republic Criminalizes Communist Propaganda After Decades of Activism

For opponents of communism in the Czech Republic, a 30-year battle has finally reached its conclusion. In late July, Czech President Petr Pavel signed a landmark amendment to the country’s criminal code that places the promotion of communist ideology on equal legal footing with Nazi propaganda, criminalizing both.

The new law, which takes effect January 1, 2026, represents the culmination of efforts that began after the 1989 Velvet Revolution, which peacefully ended four decades of communist rule in what was then Czechoslovakia.

Martin Mejstrik, a former student revolutionary leader during the Velvet Revolution who later became a Czech senator, spearheaded the initiative. Historians from the Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes (USTR) joined the campaign, which ultimately gained the support of Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s pro-European coalition government.

“The aim of this draft was to eliminate an obviously unfair distinction between two criminal totalitarian ideologies of the 20th century,” explained Kamil Nedvedicky, a deputy director at the USTR. “Both of those ideologies suppressed fundamental rights and freedoms. It is logical and just that Czech criminal law clearly reflects this. It’s not about ideology, it’s about protecting the democratic constitutional state.”

The amended section 403 of the Czech criminal code now prescribes a jail sentence of one to five years for anyone who “establishes, supports or promotes Nazi, communist, or other movements which demonstrably aim to suppress human rights and freedoms or incite racial, ethnic, national, religious or class-based hatred.”

Implications for Czech Politics

The amendment arrives at a politically significant moment. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM), formed in 1990 as a successor to the dictatorial Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, remains one of the few relatively successful communist parties in the European Union. Though it lost its parliamentary representation in the last Czech election, the KSCM recently entered the European Parliament as part of the left-wing Stacilo! (“Enough!”) coalition.

Polling suggests this alliance may cross the 5% threshold required for parliamentary representation in the Czech Republic’s upcoming October elections, potentially restoring communist influence in national politics. The alliance is led by KSCM leader and European Parliament member Katerina Konecna.

Further complicating matters, current election favorite Andrej Babis – a former prime minister, business oligarch, and leader of the right-wing populist ANO party – has not ruled out forming a coalition with Stacilo!, potentially bringing communists back into government.

The new amendment could theoretically lead to a ban on the KSCM, similar to what happened to the far-right Workers’ Party in 2010, which was outlawed due to its neo-Nazi associations.

Communist Response

KSCM leader Konecna has condemned the amendment as a politically motivated attack. “It’s about the systematic attempt by the antisocial, corrupt government of Petr Fiala to silence its loudest critics,” she told DW. “That definitely has no place in a democratic society.”

Konecna also pointed to the irony that the amendment was signed by Pavel, who was himself a member of the original Czech Communist Party until 1989. Pavel has previously expressed regret for his former party membership, stating, “In retrospect and with the knowledge I have today, it was a decision I am definitely not proud of.” The former military officer and NATO official has described his subsequent service as “a symbolic apology to society.”

Undeterred by the new law, Konecna insists her party will continue its work. “We won’t be intimidated,” she declared. “Even if they threaten us a hundred times and imprison us.”

International Reactions

The amendment has drawn criticism from Russia, where political figures view it as an attack on Soviet history. Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia’s parliament, claimed the law is designed to “question, accuse, and condemn” Russia by equating the Soviet system with fascism.

As the Czech Republic prepares for October’s parliamentary elections, this new law adds another dimension to an already complex political landscape, marking a significant shift in how the country legally addresses its communist past. For many who struggled against the former regime, the amendment represents long-awaited recognition of communism’s dark legacy in Czech history.