lustrations

Lustration is a term used to describe processes of purification or cleansing, both in religious contexts and in modern political reform. Derived from Latin lustratio, the word has been used to describe ritual purification rites as well as processes that purge or vet public officials.

In ancient Rome, lustration (lustratio) referred to public purification rites intended to cleanse the community, the fields, or individuals of ritual impurity. These rites could involve sacrifices, prayers, processions, and the sprinkling of holy water or other purificatory substances, performed at defined intervals such as after census-taking (lustrum) or during times of crisis.

In the modern political sense, lustration describes vetting and cleansing measures used after political transitions to remove or restrict former regime personnel from government or public life. Legislation typically required disclosure of past affiliations, bans or suspensions from office, and, in some cases, asset or employment controls.

Several post-communist states in Central and Eastern Europe adopted lustration laws in the 1990s, including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, to address security-service collaboration. The practice remains controversial, raising concerns about fairness, due process, political bias, and the risk of retroactive punishment.

Scholars distinguish between ritual purification and juridical lustration, noting differences in purpose, evidence standards, and social effects.