(January 6, 2017) Forty years ago, an underground rock band helped create the first civic opposition movement in the Eastern Bloc. After several musicians were arrested on dubious charges, Czechoslovak dissidents drew up a petition — known as Charter 77 — urging the communist government to observe basic human rights. RFE/RL spoke to Vratislav Brabenec, one of the document’s signatories and the saxophonist in the band that started it all. (Produced by Coilin O’Connor and Margot Buff. Camera: Jaroslav Ptacnik)

Communist Czechoslovakia’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Revolution from Margot Buff on Vimeo.