Inspired by true events of the 1989 Czech and Slovak Velvet Revolution and Václav Havel's controversial release of 23000 prisoners. In addition to the story of three families affected by communist persecution, the film Amnesty also deals with the uprising of prisoners in Leopoldov, which required military intervention. The uprising was preceded by a broad amnesty granted by Václav Havel in January 1990, just a few days after his election as Czechoslovak president.