Czech Republic Criminalizes Promotion of Communism Under New Law

Czech President Petr Pavel has signed amendments to the Criminal Code introducing criminal liability for promoting communism, Orda.kz reports.

Under the new law, individuals who create or support movements based on communist ideology may face up to five years in prison. The amendments were proposed by several research institutions, including the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.

They argued that Czech law had a “legal imbalance,” as Nazism was banned but communism was not.

The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) criticized the legislation, calling it “politically motivated” and an attempt to outlaw the party.

Local media note that it remains unclear how the ban will apply to organizations like KSČM.

Original Author: Rustam Muratov