Issued by: African National Congress
ANC CALL TO THE TRUTH COMMISSION ON POLITICAL PRISONERS
The African National Congress makes an urgent request to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to give an earnest attention to the many political prisoners who are still languishing in jails around the country.
At this stage, applications for their release could not be finalised because in terms of the old Indemnity Laws, the cut-off date was 8 October 1990. The effect thereof was that political prisoners in respect of acts committed after the cut-off date did not qualify for release.
In addition, the previous National Party regime had applied the old Indemnity Acts in a manner which was totally unacceptable. Consequently, many applications for release were refused.
It is our view that those applications for release need to be reconsidered in view of the fact that the cut-off date is now 5 December 1993.
According to our records, there are at least 2000 (two thousand) applications pending. The ANC is aware that some applications are not political as found by the Currin Committee. But every person in prison who has applied for amnesty and falls within the political prisoner category should have his/her matter disposed of by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a matter of priority.
The ANC calls upon the Commission to give immediate attention to this matter so that those who are genuine political prisoners may be released.
Issued by Department of Information and Publicity P.O. Box 61884 Marshalltown 2107 28 January 1996
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