This Day in History: 21 July 1964
The United Nations (UN) Committee on the Policy of Apartheid of the Government of South Africa (Special Committee Against Apartheid) expressed very serious concerns about the arrest of Abraham Fischer, defence attorney in the Rivonia Trial and opponent of the apartheid regime. Fischer was arrested under the Suppression of Communism Act shortly after the conclusion of the Rivonia trial. As he was on the point of going to London to plead a case before the Privy Council, he requested permission and was released on bail of R10 000. On his return, he was again arrested and the case against him and his co-accused, thirteen other persons also charged with promoting the aims of communism, was resumed in November 1964. He escaped while on bail and went into hiding. After living "the secret life of Mr Black" for nearly a year, he was again arrested on 11 November 1965 and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1966.
Click here to read a chronology of the United Nations and Apartheid
Source:
Kalley, J.A.; Schoeman, E. & Andor, L.E. (eds)(1999). Southern African Political History: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997, Westport: Greenwood.
Kruger, D.W. (ed)(1979). Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika; verwerk en bygewerk deur D.W. Kruger; 3de bygewerkte uitg., Goodwood, Cape Town: NASOU, p. 601.
Liebenberg, B.J. & Spies, S.B. (eds)(1993). South Africa in the 20th Century, Pretoria: Van Schaik Academic, p. 408.
