Bureau for documentation and investigation of crimes of communism

The Office for the Documentation and Investigation of the Crimes of Communism ( czech Úřad dokumentace a vyšetřování zločinů komunismu, ÚDV ) is a division of the Czech police responsible for investigating crimes committed by the communist authorities of Czechoslovakia in 1948-1989.

The headquarters of the organization is located in Prague ^[1] , there is a branch in Brno .

The bureau was founded on January 1, 1995 by the decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic on the basis of the law “On the illegality of the communist regime and on resisting it”. ^[2] A resource center was also established to document the crimes of the communist regime. The bureau has investigative powers to expose and prosecute criminal acts committed during the period 1948-1989 . In addition to investigative activities, documentation is also conducted, which consists of collecting, analyzing and evaluating materials, information and documents testifying to the crimes of the communist regime and its repressive apparatus. ^{[1] [3]}

The situation with the rights and freedoms of citizens during the rule of the communist regime is assessed by the government as follows:

“During the years of its totalitarian power, this regime systematically and purposefully violated human rights, the principles of a democratic state, the decisions of international law, even the laws of their country. The communists denied the citizens the opportunity to freely express their opinions, ruthlessly suppressed all other political, religious and social groups. ” ^[four]