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Nelson Mandela's incarceration at Robben Island

In 1964, Nelson Mandela began a life sentence at Robben Island after being convicted of treason.

On 13 June 1964, Nelson Mandela, who later became South Africa's president, was taken to the maximum security prison on Robben Island off the coast of South Africa.

Mandela had led the military wing of the African National Congress party which was banned by the apartheid government.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment for treason and spent 18 years on the island before being transferred to prison on the mainland.

He was freed on 11 February 1990 after serving 27 years behind bars.

Jen Dale uses BBC archive to tell this period of Mandela's life.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

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(Picture: Nelson Mandela's cell on Robben Island, Credit: Getty/Dave Hogan)

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10 minutes

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  • Mon 8 Jun 202607:50GMT
  • Mon 8 Jun 202611:50GMT
  • Mon 8 Jun 202617:50GMT
  • Mon 8 Jun 202621:50GMT
  • Tue 9 Jun 202602:50GMT

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