Rivonia Trial

E51214

The Rivonia Trial was a landmark 1963–1964 South African court case in which Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid leaders were prosecuted and ultimately sentenced to long prison terms for sabotage and related charges, drawing global attention to the struggle against apartheid.

All labels observed (8)

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf court case
political trial
alsoKnownAs State v Mandela and Others
linked to: Rivonia Trial

The State v Nelson Mandela and Others
linked to: Rivonia Trial
charge conspiracy to overthrow the government
furthering the aims of communism
recruitment for foreign military training
recruitment for guerrilla warfare
sabotage
soliciting funds from foreign states
country South Africa
court Supreme Court of South Africa
defendant Ahmed Kathrada
Andrew Mlangeni
Bob Hepple
Denis Goldberg
Elias Motsoaledi
Govan Mbeki
James Kantor
Lionel Bernstein
Nelson Mandela
Raymond Mhlaba
Walter Sisulu
defenseArgument moral justification for armed struggle against apartheid
endDate 1964-06-12
evidenceSeizedAt Lilliesleaf Farm
historicalSignificance drew international condemnation of apartheid
landmark in the global anti-apartheid movement
impactOnMandela elevated Nelson Mandela as a global symbol of resistance
judge Quartus de Wet
languageOfProceedings English
legalBasis Sabotage Act
Suppression of Communism Act
legalOutcome eight defendants convicted
two defendants acquitted
location Pretoria
mediaCoverage extensive international attention
notableDefendantRole Nelson Mandela was a leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe
linked to: Nelson Mandela
notableSpeech I Am Prepared to Die
organizationInvolved African National Congress
South African Communist Party
Umkhonto we Sizwe
politicalContext apartheid
precededBy raid on Lilliesleaf Farm in Rivonia
prosecutor Percy Yutar
resultedIn imprisonment of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island
long-term imprisonment of senior ANC leaders
sentence life imprisonment
startDate 1963-10-09
theme struggle against apartheid

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Referenced by (28)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Nelson Mandela significantEvent Rivonia Trial
Long Walk to Freedom describesEvent Rivonia Trial
Rivonia Trial alsoKnownAs State v Mandela and Others
linked to: Rivonia Trial
Rivonia Trial alsoKnownAs The State v Nelson Mandela and Others
linked to: Rivonia Trial
Ahmed Kathrada participantIn Rivonia Trial
Ahmed Kathrada convictedIn Rivonia Trial
Walter Sisulu participantIn Rivonia Trial
Walter Sisulu convictedIn Rivonia Trial
Govan Mbeki participantIn Rivonia Trial
Denis Goldberg trial Rivonia Trial
Percy Yutar notableCase Rivonia Trial
I Am Prepared to Die deliveredAt Rivonia Trial
I Am Prepared to Die occasion Rivonia Trial
I Am Prepared to Die relatedTo Rivonia Trial speech
linked to: Rivonia Trial
I Am Prepared to Die documentedIn Rivonia Trial transcripts
linked to: Rivonia Trial
Lilliesleaf Farm associatedEvent Rivonia Trial
Lilliesleaf Farm associatedEvent Rivonia raid
linked to: Rivonia Trial
Umkhonto we Sizwe associatedTrial Rivonia Trial
subject linked to: MK
Raymond Mhlaba participantIn Rivonia Trial
Elias Motsoaledi convictedIn Rivonia Trial
Andrew Mlangeni trial Rivonia Trial
Quartus de Wet notableEvent Rivonia Trial
Quartus de Wet participantIn Rivonia Trial
Quartus de Wet notableCase State v. Nelson Mandela and Others (Rivonia Trial)
linked to: Rivonia Trial
Lionel Bernstein participantIn Rivonia Trial
James Kantor hasRoleIn Rivonia Trial-related proceedings
linked to: Rivonia Trial