Famous Historic Political Prisoners
- Aung San Suu Kyi led the opposition National League for Democracy which was victorious in 1990 general election. Under jail or house arrest for 15 out of the 21 years from 1990 to 2010.
- Benazir Bhutto was a political prisoner for four years under General Zia ul Haq.
- Antonio Gramsci was a leftist Italian writer and political activist who was jailed and spent 8 years in prison. He was released conditionally due to his health situation and died shortly after.
- Kim Dae Jung served one term (1976–1979) and in 1980 was exiled to the United States, but returned in 1985 and became President of South Korea in 1998.
- Thomas Mapfumo was imprisoned without charges in 1979 by the Rhodesian government in what is now Zimbabwe for his Shona-language music calling for revolution.
- Benigno Aquino Jr. of the Philippines was imprisoned during the martial law regime of Ferdinand Marcos
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Famous quotes containing the words famous, historic, political and/or prisoners:
“The [Loyal] legion has taken the place of the club—the famous Cincinnati Literary Club—in my affections.... The military circles are interested in the same things with myself, and so we endure, if not enjoy, each other.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“The first farmer was the first man, and all historic nobility rests on possession and use of land.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Circumstances ... give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing colour and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind.”
—Edmund Burke (1729–1797)
“Two prisoners whose cells adjoin communicate with each other by knocking on the wall. The wall is the thing which separates them but is also their means of communication. It is the same with us and God. Every separation is a link.”
—Simone Weil (1909–1943)