Arrest and Revenia Cases: 1982-1984
After being on the run for nearly 18 months, police arrested him and his co-revolutionary Cecil Williams on August 5, 1962, near Howick. [105] [107] Former U.S. diplomat Donald Ricard later revealed that the US Central Intelligence Agency had informed the South African security police about Mandela's movements and disguise, fearing Mandela's collaboration with the Communists. [107] [108] [109] [110] He was detained at the Johannesburg Fortress. [111] Mandela, imprisoned in Johannesburg's Marshall Square prison, was charged with leading a workers' strike and leaving the country illegally. On October 25, 1982, Mandela was sentenced to five years in prison on both charges. Two years later, on June 11, 1964, Mandela was accused of leading the ANC's armed struggle and was punished. [112]
While in Mandela's prison, police arrested the ANC's first-line leaders on July 11, 1983, at the Lillesslef Farm in Rivonia, near Johannesburg. Mandela was also charged in the so-called 'Rivonia case'. The government's top lawyer, Dr Percy, has accused ANC leaders, including Uber Mandela, of sabotage. They were also charged with treason. [113] Mandela pleaded guilty to sabotage. But Mandela denied allegations of treason against South Africa for plotting against South Africa as a foreign agent. [113]
Mandela testified in the Pretoria Supreme Court on April 20, 1974. Mandela explained why the ANC had chosen an armed movement. [114] Mandela said that the ANC had been a non-violent movement for many years. But after the Sharpeville massacre, they were forced to abandon the path of non-violent movement. [115] After the genocide, disregarding the rights of blacks, declared South Africa a republic, declared a state of emergency, and banned the ANC, Mandela and his comrades opted for subversive armed struggle. According to them, anything other than an armed movement would have been an unconditional surrender. [115] They chose armed struggle as the main goal of this organization. Their aim was to discourage foreign investment in South Africa through sabotage, and to put pressure on the apartheid National Party government. [116] At the end of his statement, Mandela said, I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die. "[100]
Mandela was represented by Bram Fisher, Vernon Berang, Harry Schwartz, Joel Joff, Arthur Chaskalson and George Bezos. [116] [116] However, Rusty Bernstein was convicted in the case. However, instead of being hanged on June 12, 1974, all of them were sentenced to life imprisonment. [118]
Robben Island: 1984-1982

Robben Island Prison Premises.

Mandela's prison on Robben Island. He was imprisoned here for a long time.
Mandela's imprisonment began at Robben Island Prison. Here he spent the first 18 years of his 27-year imprisonment. [119] His fame grew around the world while in prison. He became known around the world as South Africa's most important black leader. [2] As part of his rigorous imprisonment, Mandela and his fellow inmates were forced to work as laborers in a limestone mine in Robben Island. Caste was also practiced in prisons. Black prisoners were given the least food. [121] Political prisoners were kept separate from ordinary criminals. Political prisoners had fewer privileges than ordinary criminals. [122] Mandela wrote in his autobiography that he was considered a D-Group prisoner, meaning he was placed on the list of least privileged prisoners. He was given only one letter every six months and was allowed to meet only one visitor. [123] The letter to Mandela was long blocked by prison censors. Before the letter was handed to Mandela, many parts of it were ink readable. [99]
While in prison, Mandela began his undergraduate studies at the University of London and earned a bachelor's degree in law. [124] He was later nominated as a candidate for Chancellor of the University of London in 1981. But he lost the election to Princess Anne. [124]
Gordon Winter, a South African intelligence spy, wrote an autobiography entitled Inside BOSS in 1971. [125] In the autobiography, Winter revealed a secret conspiracy by the South African government. According to the conspiracy, the attack was planned in 1969 to free Mandela from prison. Through Winter, South African spies took part in and aided the conspiracy. The motive was to allow Mandela to escape from prison, so that he could be chased and killed in crossfire in the name of re-arrest. News of the plot was foiled by British intelligence. [127]
In March 1972, Mandela was transferred from Robben Island Prison to Polsmoor Prison. Mandela was accompanied by senior African National Congress leaders Walter Sisulu, Andrew Mlageni, Ahmed Kathrada and Raymond Mlaba. [123] It is thought that Mandela and other leaders influenced a new generation of black political prisoners imprisoned on Robben Island. Mandela and his comrades-in-arms mocked the influence of young workers on the so-called "Mandela University". [126]
In February 1965, the then President of South Africa, Botha PW, proposed the conditional release of Botha Mandela. The condition was that Mandela should give up armed struggle for political purposes. [129] However, other ministers, including Quetsy, opposed Botha's proposal. They argued that Mandela would never allow his organization to deviate from the path of armed struggle by seeking personal release. [130] Mandela actually rejected the offer. He made a statement through his daughter Zindagi, so that he said,
"What freedom am I being offered while the organization of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts." (What kind of offer is there to free me, where the people's organization is being banned? Only free people can negotiate. Prisoners can never sign an agreement.) [127] "
The first meeting between Mandela and the National Party government was held in December 1975. Kobe Quetsy met Mandela at Vox Hospital in Cape Town. Mandela was recovering from prostate surgery. [131] For the next four years, the government held several rounds of talks with Mandela. But no significant progress has been made in these discussions. [128]
In 1978, Mandela was transferred to Victor Worcester Prison. Mandela was held captive until his release. Gradually the restrictions on him were eased and visitors were allowed to meet. Mandela's student friend Harry Schwartz met him at the time.
During Mandela's imprisonment, pressure mounted on the South African government, both locally and internationally, for his release. The most widely used slogan for this movement was Free Nelson Mandela! (132] In 1989, South African President Botha suffered a heart attack and resigned. He was succeeded by Frederick Willem de Clarke. [133] Shortly after this political upheaval, de Clarke announced Mandela's release in February 1990. [134]
During Mandela's imprisonment, envoys from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) met with him several times at Robben Island and Paul Moore Prison. "To me personally, and to those who shared the experience of being political prisoners, the Red Cross was a beacon of humanity within the dark inhumane world of political imprisonment," Mandela said of the encounters. (For me personally and for other political prisoners like me, the Red Cross was a beacon of light in the inhumane cruel dark world of prisons.) [135] [138]
Liberation
On February 2, 1990, the then President of South Africa, FWD Clark, lifted the ban on other anti-apartheid organizations, including the African National Congress. At the same time, he announced that Mandela would be released soon. [138] Mandela was released from Victor Worcester Prison on February 11, 1990. Mandela's release was broadcast live around the world. [138]
On the day of his release, Mandela delivered a speech to the nation. [139] In this speech, he called for maintaining peace and harmony with the country's white minority. At the same time, he made it clear that the armed struggle of the African National Congress was not over. In this regard, he said,
"Our resort to the armed struggle in 1960 with the formation of the military wing of the ANC (Umkhonto we Sizwe) was a purely defensive action against the violence of apartheid. The factors which necessitated the armed struggle still exist today. We have no option but to continue. We express the hope that a climate conducive to a negotiated settlement would be created soon, so that there may no longer be the need for the armed struggle. " (In 1960, we were forced to start an armed struggle. We formed the African National Congress's armed wing, Umkhanto Wei Sieve, to defend ourselves against racist violence. The reasons for starting an armed struggle still remain. So we have no choice but to continue this struggle. No. We hope that a conducive environment for peace talks will be created soon and that we will no longer need to continue armed struggle. "
Mandela added that his main goal was to bring peace to the black majority, and to ensure that blacks had the right to vote in local and national elections. [139]
Peace talks
After his release, Mandela took over the leadership of the African National Congress. He was the leader of this group from 1990 to 1994. During this time he sat down with the government to end racism in South Africa. After the peace talks were fruitful, a general election was held in 1994 for the first time in the country's history with the participation of people of all castes. [140]
The first national conference of the African National Congress was held in 1991 after the ban was lifted. At the conference, Mandela was elected party president. Mandela's old friend and colleague Oliver Tambo led the group in exile during Mandela's captivity. At this conference, Tambo was elected national president of the party. [141]
Mandela and President FW de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their contribution to peace talks with the South African government. However, the peace talks did not go smoothly all the time. Once in 1991, after a disagreement, Mandela became angry and called Clarke the leader of an illegitimate government. Discussions broke down when the Baipatong massacre took place in June 1992. Mandela then accused De Klerk's government of involvement in the genocide. [142] However, three months later, in September 1992, the Bisso genocide resumed. Both sides realize that peace talks are the only way to bring peace back.

Mandela with US President Bill Clinton in 1993.
nice article