7. Cheka (Soviet Russia)
The Cheka, or All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage, was established in December 1917 by Lenin’s decree, led by Felix Dzerzhinsky. Operating as the Bolsheviks’ secret police, the Cheka played a central role in consolidating power through the Red Terror campaign, which began in September 1918. This campaign involved mass arrests, imprisonments, and executions without trial, targeting perceived enemies of the state. Estimates of the number of people executed during the Red Terror vary, with figures ranging from 50,000 to 200,000. The Cheka’s brutal methods set a precedent for future Soviet secret police organizations.
