Before They're Allowed to be Free Quiz

Answer: South Africa

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned by the South African apartheid regime for 27 years (1962-1990). During the Rivonia Trial in 1964, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in anti-apartheid activities, specifically sabotage against the government as part of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) called Umkhonto we Sizwe. The apartheid regime, led by the National Party, enforced a strict system of racial segregation in which the white minority held political and economic power and oppressed the black majority.

Mandela was released from prison in 1990 amid intense internal protests and international sanctions against apartheid. South Africa was facing economic hardship and increasing isolation because of its racial policies. His release followed secret negotiations between the government and the African National Congress (ANC), initiated by President F. W. de Klerk, who recognised that apartheid was no longer sustainable.

After his release, Mandela headed the negotiations that resulted in the first multi-racial elections in 1994, in which he was elected as South Africa's first black president, serving until 1999. He led efforts to reconcile the racially divided country and is remembered for his role in South Africa's peaceful transition to a multiracial democracy.

Answer: Czechoslovakia

Václav Havel, playwright and political dissident, spent several stints in prison during the 1970s and 1980s under the Czechoslovak communist regime, which was installed after World War II and supported by the Soviet Union. The government cracked down on free speech and political dissent, and Havel's involvement in the Charter 77 movement, which criticised the government's human rights record, made him a target. Havel was imprisoned several times, most notably from 1979 to 1983, for his opposition to the regime.

Havel was released from prison in May 1989 as the Eastern Bloc regimes began to collapse under the pressure of widespread protests and the waning influence of the Soviet Union. The Velvet Revolution in late 1989, a peaceful uprising, led to the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia. Havel was elected president by the Federal Assembly in December 1989 and led the country through its transition to democracy. When Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, Havel served as the first President of the Czech Republic until 2003.

Answer: Uruguay

José Mujica was a leader of the Tupamaros, a Marxist guerrilla group that opposed Uruguay's military dictatorship in the 1960s and 70s. The military took control of the country in 1973 and ran a repressive regime that targeted left-wing insurgents and dissidents. Mujica was captured and spent 13 years in prison, much of it in solitary confinement in inhumane conditions. He was held as a "hostage", a tactic used by the military to maintain control over the insurgency.

Mujica was released in 1985, following a negotiated return to democracy as the military government fell due to economic decline and public unrest. A general amnesty for political prisoners was part of the democratic transition. Mujica entered politics and joined the Broad Front (Frente Amplio), a left-wing coalition. He was elected president in 2010, focusing on progressive social policies such as the legalisation of marijuana, same-sex marriage and poverty reduction. Mujica served until 2015.

Answer: Brazil

Lula da Silva was jailed for a month in 1980 by Brazil's military dictatorship (1964-1985) for organising massive strikes against the regime's economic policies. Brazil's military rulers were known for suppressing dissent and labour movements, and Lula, as leader of the ABC metalworkers' union, became a key figure in challenging the regime's authoritarianism.

Lula's release came amid growing opposition to the dictatorship. In 1985, after years of protests and economic downturn, Brazil transitioned to democracy and the military relinquished power. Lula helped found the Workers' Party (PT) and ran for president several times before winning in 2002. During his presidency (2003-2011), Lula focused on economic development and poverty reduction. He returned to the presidency in 2023 after his controversial imprisonment on corruption charges was overturned, with his supporters claiming the charges were politically motivated.

Answer: South Korea

Kim Dae-jung was one of the most prominent opposition leaders to South Korea's military dictatorships, particularly those of Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan. In 1980, after a military coup by Chun, Kim was sentenced to death for inciting a riot in the city of Gwangju in which hundreds of demonstrators were killed. His arrest and sentencing sparked international outrage and led to diplomatic pressure from the US and other countries.

Under intense international pressure, Kim's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was released in 1982 but remained under house arrest. The country's pro-democracy movement, driven by mass protests, finally forced the military regime to step down in 1987.

Kim ran for president several times before winning in 1998. As president (1998-2003), Kim focused on stabilising South Korea's economy after the Asian financial crisis and initiated the Sunshine Policy to promote peaceful relations with North Korea, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.

Answer: Liberia

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was jailed in 1985 by the military government of Samuel Doe, who had seized power in a bloody coup in 1980. Liberia's government was corrupt and violent, and Sirleaf, an economist and former finance minister, criticised Doe's regime, leading to her arrest. She was imprisoned for several months for her vocal opposition.

Sirleaf was released as Doe's regime faced increasing internal conflict and opposition. Liberia's long civil war finally ended in 2003, leading to democratic elections in 2005. Sirleaf became Africa's first female head of state, winning the presidency. Her leadership from 2006 to 2018 focused on rebuilding the country's war-torn economy and institutions, and promoting women's rights and peace.

Answer: Chile

Michelle Bachelet was arrested and imprisoned by the Pinochet regime in 1975. Her father, a Chilean air force general, had opposed the 1973 military coup, which led to his arrest and subsequent death by torture. Bachelet and her mother were also imprisoned and tortured for their left-wing political beliefs. The Pinochet dictatorship ruled Chile with an iron fist, imprisoning and killing thousands of dissidents during its reign.

Bachelet was released and fled into exile in East Germany, where she continued her medical studies. After the end of Pinochet's regime and the restoration of democracy in Chile in 1990, Bachelet returned to the country and eventually entered politics. She was elected president in 2006 and again in 2014, focusing on social policy, gender equality and human rights.

Answer: Ghana

Kwame Nkrumah was imprisoned by the British colonial authorities in 1950 for leading strikes and protests as part of the Positive Action Campaign, which sought full independence for the Gold Coast (now Ghana). He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, but from prison he continued to lead the Convention People's Party (CPP) and campaign for independence.

Nkrumah was released in 1951 after the CPP won a majority in the newly formed Legislative Assembly. This was part of Britain's gradual move towards granting independence to its African colonies. In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence, with Nkrumah as its first prime minister and later president. He promoted pan-Africanism and socialist policies during his time in power.

Answer: Poland

Lech Wałęsa was imprisoned by Poland's communist government during the period of martial law imposed in 1981 to crush the rising Solidarity movement, a trade union he co-founded. The communist regime, heavily backed by the Soviet Union, feared that Solidarity's demands for workers' rights and democracy would destabilise its control. Wałęsa spent almost a year in prison for his leadership of the movement.

Wałęsa was released in 1982, but Solidarity continued to operate underground. By 1989, as the Soviet Union weakened, Poland's communist regime was forced to negotiate with Solidarity, leading to semi-free elections in 1989. Solidarity won overwhelmingly, and Wałęsa was elected president in 1990, playing a key role in Poland's transition to democracy and market reforms.

Answer: Philippines

Benigno Aquino was imprisoned in the 1970s under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, who declared martial law in 1972 to suppress growing political opposition. Aquino, a senator and vocal critic of Marcos, was arrested and spent seven years in prison. He was later exiled, but continued to call for democratic reforms from abroad.

Aquino was released in 1980 under international pressure, but was assassinated on his return to the Philippines in 1983. His death catalysed the peaceful People Power Revolution of 1986, which ended the Marcos dictatorship. His widow, Corazon Aquino, became the first female president of the Philippines, and her son, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, was elected president in 2010. Benigno III's presidency has focused on anti-corruption efforts and economic reform.