Government agrees compensation for political prisoners, including those from "normalisation" era

During the Communist era there were over two and a half million political prisoners in Czechoslovakia. They were sent to both prisons and labour camps, often - especially in the 1950s - in the most appalling conditions. Fifteen years after the fall of Communism, the Czech government has finally decided to pay compensation to former political prisoners. Furthermore, it has reversed a previous decision and now wants to also compensate those who were imprisoned in the post-1968 period known as "normalization".

Government agrees compensation for political prisoners, including those from "normalisation" era

Photo: Filip Jandourek

The vast majority of the 262,500 people imprisoned for political reasons were put away in the first two decades of Communist rule. Conditions in both prisons and work camps at that time are often described as inhumane. Forced labour was paid but prisoners received only a few crowns a day, and were apparently sometimes paid only in cigarettes. What's more, time spent in prison or work camps is not counted towards old age benefits, so former prisoners receive lower state pensions.

Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan

Political prisoners in the 1970s and 1980s experienced conditions much less harsh than in the previous two decades, and the government had originally decided they would not receive compensation. But some people, including Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda and Defence Minister Karel Kuhnl, argued against the distinction, and Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan (himself a former dissident) came around to their way of thinking. On Wednesday he persuaded the cabinet to vote for equal compensation for all.

As to why the government has only now decided political prisoners deserve compensation, Mr Bublan said the money just could not be found in the state budget before. The Confederation of Political Prisoners say the political will was also lacking. And even though the group campaigned for years for compensation they say the money is not the main issue, and that it is a primarily a question of morality and justice.

The amount of compensation former political prisoners receive as a supplement to their pensions will be calculated according to the length of sentences. For instance, somebody who spent six years in jail or a labour camp will get 3,600 crowns a month (around 120 euros).