František "Čuňas" Stárek had a number of friends in the circle of the then forming Czech underground. He was involved in the organization of musical music performances and lectures and spreading of samizdat literature. Since 1977, he has been involved in activities related to Charter 77, which he also signed. In 1979 he began publishing the samizdat magazine Vokno, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment.