LEOPOLDOV 1990 – VZPOURA VĚZŇŮ A ÚLOHA ČESKOSLOVENSKÝCH OZBROJENÝCH SIL PŘI JEJÍM POTLAČENÍ

The riot in Leopoldov prison on the 28th March 1990 represents a dramatic moment in modern Czechoslovak, Czech and Slovak history. Its origin, course and causes were one of the expressions of the Czechoslovak state’s transition from an authoritarian to a liberal political system. In this context, the armed forces played an important role, decisively contributing to the suppression of the prisoners’ riot. The author focused on the historical analysis of archival documents from the period, memories of participants, and contemporary press. The intervention of members of the police forces of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Czechoslovak Army significantly helped to restore the rule of law and suppress the nascent anarchy. Thus it markedly increased the credibility of the state’s security forces in the eyes of the Czechoslovak public. From the position of supporting the communist regime, their existence began to shift towards becoming a guarantor of citizens’ rights and freedoms.