Historical Organization
Judiciary
Judiciary
Details
Organization Timeline
Mandela is convicted for the Defiance Campaign
📅 2 December 1952A Johannesburg court convicted Mandela, Walter Sisulu, James Moroka, and other leaders of “statutory communism” for organizing the campaign. They received nine months’ hard labour, suspended for two...
The Treason Trial preparatory examination begins
đź“… 19 December 1956Mandela and the other Treason Trial prisoners were held in Johannesburg Prison and brought to a preparatory examination at the Drill Hall. Public protests greeted the prosecution. The proceedings...
Treason Trial defendants receive bail
đź“… 20 December 1956The accused were granted bail, with further proceedings scheduled for January. Their release did not end the long prosecution, which would continue for years. The case imposed legal costs and...
The defence begins its response in the Treason Trial
📅 9 January 1957The defence began its refutation of the state’s case, overseen by advocate Vernon Berrangé. Mandela and his co-accused faced a marathon proceeding in which the government attempted to equate a program...
The state drops charges against 73 Treason Trialists
📅 17 December 1957After preliminary hearings, prosecutors dropped charges against 73 of the accused, including prominent leaders. Mandela’s case continued with the remaining defendants. The partial withdrawals...
Mandela and the remaining Treason Trial accused are acquitted
đź“… 29 March 1961After four and a half years, Mandela and the last 27 accused were acquitted of high treason. The prosecution failed to prove its case against the Congress Alliance. The long trial had consumed...
Khomeini issues an eight-point decree on legal safeguards
đź“… 15 December 1982Khomeini directed judicial and executive officials to respect legal safeguards against arbitrary arrest, confiscation and intrusion. The wartime decree expressed rules for state conduct; it did not...