Three Czech organizations are urging lawmakers to amend the criminal code, arguing that promoting communism should be punished just as severely as endorsing Nazism.
The Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, the Museum of the Memory of the 20th Century, and the Platform of European Memory and Conscience issued a joint statement pressing for change.
They point out a glaring contradiction: while selling Nazi-themed merchandise is strictly prohibited, items featuring communist leaders like Lenin remain widely available. Their proposal? Explicitly include “Nazi, communist, and other similar movements” in the law banning ideologies that suppress human rights.
The groups see an opportunity in an ongoing parliamentary debate over criminal code amendments, which already include updates on sentencing and decriminalization of minor offenses. Historians backing the initiative argue that society has yet to fully reckon with communism’s brutal legacy.
“Nazism and communism both led to mass atrocities, millions of victims, and deep scars on society,” the statement emphasizes. Under current law, promoting extremist movements can lead to a prison sentence of up to five years.
