Where and when did show trials take place?

Answer 1

Show trials primarily took place in the Soviet Union during the 1930s, particularly under Joseph Stalin's regime. These public trials were designed to showcase the state's power and justify the persecution of political opponents, often featuring fabricated evidence and forced confessions. Notable examples include the Moscow Trials, which occurred between 1936 and 1938, where prominent Communist Party members were accused of treason and conspiracies against the state. Similar practices were also seen in other authoritarian regimes, such as Nazi Germany and China during the Cultural Revolution.