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Top 10 Inspiring Political Prisoners


criticizing government’s landed them

criticizing government’s landed them behind bars

behind bars

behind bars welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10 most inspiring political prisoners it is

most inspiring political prisoners it is

most inspiring political prisoners it is because of recent changes in my country

because of recent changes in my country

because of recent changes in my country that I’m with you today and these

that I’m with you today and these

that I’m with you today and these changes have come about because of you

changes have come about because of you

changes have come about because of you and other lovers of freedom and justice

and other lovers of freedom and justice

and other lovers of freedom and justice number 10 Ho Chi Minh this communist

number 10 Ho Chi Minh this communist

number 10 Ho Chi Minh this communist leader was a force in Viet Nam’s

leader was a force in Viet Nam’s

leader was a force in Viet Nam’s nationalist campaign battling various

nationalist campaign battling various

nationalist campaign battling various powers to lead his population to

powers to lead his population to

powers to lead his population to independence while his visit to China

independence while his visit to China

independence while his visit to China was meant to mobilize support against

was meant to mobilize support against

was meant to mobilize support against French colonists it cost him 18 months

French colonists it cost him 18 months

French colonists it cost him 18 months in jail during which he wrote notebook

in jail during which he wrote notebook

in jail during which he wrote notebook from prison after returning to Vietnam

from prison after returning to Vietnam

from prison after returning to Vietnam in 1943 po helped liberate the north

in 1943 po helped liberate the north

in 1943 po helped liberate the north from the French and established the

from the French and established the

from the French and established the communist led Democratic Republic of

communist led Democratic Republic of

communist led Democratic Republic of Vietnam number 9 Akbar gang G labeled

Vietnam number 9 Akbar gang G labeled

Vietnam number 9 Akbar gang G labeled Iran’s preeminent political dissident

Iran’s preeminent political dissident

Iran’s preeminent political dissident Ganges disillusionment drove him from

Ganges disillusionment drove him from

Ganges disillusionment drove him from the Revolutionary Guard to investigative

the Revolutionary Guard to investigative

the Revolutionary Guard to investigative journalism where he famously reported on

journalism where he famously reported on

journalism where he famously reported on Iran’s chain murders his allegations

Iran’s chain murders his allegations

Iran’s chain murders his allegations that senior government officials had

that senior government officials had

that senior government officials had covertly assassinated dissidents and his

covertly assassinated dissidents and his

covertly assassinated dissidents and his participation in a supposedly anti-iran

participation in a supposedly anti-iran

participation in a supposedly anti-iran conference got him arrested in 2000 and

conference got him arrested in 2000 and

conference got him arrested in 2000 and he spent the next six years in prison

he spent the next six years in prison

he spent the next six years in prison hunger-striking allegedly being tortured

hunger-striking allegedly being tortured

hunger-striking allegedly being tortured and writing a proposal for a democratic

and writing a proposal for a democratic

and writing a proposal for a democratic Iran but of course now we know the

Iran but of course now we know the

Iran but of course now we know the revolutions don’t make democracies

revolutions don’t make democracies

revolutions don’t make democracies number 8 Mordechai Vanunu after working

number 8 Mordechai Vanunu after working

number 8 Mordechai Vanunu after working as a nuclear technician Vanunu’s

as a nuclear technician Vanunu’s

as a nuclear technician Vanunu’s left-wing ideals compelled him to expose

left-wing ideals compelled him to expose

left-wing ideals compelled him to expose Israel’s nuclear program before the

Israel’s nuclear program before the

Israel’s nuclear program before the story went public in 1986 he was tricked

story went public in 1986 he was tricked

story went public in 1986 he was tricked by a friendly female Mossad agent and

by a friendly female Mossad agent and

by a friendly female Mossad agent and arrested for treason and espionage his

arrested for treason and espionage his

arrested for treason and espionage his secret trial got him jailed for 18 years

secret trial got him jailed for 18 years

secret trial got him jailed for 18 years 11 of which were spent in solitary

11 of which were spent in solitary

11 of which were spent in solitary confinement since his 2004 release he’s

confinement since his 2004 release he’s

confinement since his 2004 release he’s lived under restrictions and his

lived under restrictions and his

lived under restrictions and his been arrested numerous times number

been arrested numerous times number

been arrested numerous times number seven václav havel once his acclaimed

seven václav havel once his acclaimed

seven václav havel once his acclaimed writing was banned in his native

writing was banned in his native

writing was banned in his native czechoslovakia during 1968 suppressive

czechoslovakia during 1968 suppressive

czechoslovakia during 1968 suppressive Prague Spring this anti-communist

Prague Spring this anti-communist

Prague Spring this anti-communist dissidents politicization increased he

dissidents politicization increased he

dissidents politicization increased he helped create the charter 77 manifesto

helped create the charter 77 manifesto

helped create the charter 77 manifesto and was behind bars often with his

and was behind bars often with his

and was behind bars often with his longest stint documented in letters to

longest stint documented in letters to

longest stint documented in letters to Olga after his release in 1983 Havel led

Olga after his release in 1983 Havel led

Olga after his release in 1983 Havel led his country through the Velvet

his country through the Velvet

his country through the Velvet Revolution and was elected president of

Revolution and was elected president of

Revolution and was elected president of Czechoslovakia proving the potential of

Czechoslovakia proving the potential of

Czechoslovakia proving the potential of art and influencing political dialogue

art and influencing political dialogue

art and influencing political dialogue number six Andrei Sakharov called the

number six Andrei Sakharov called the

number six Andrei Sakharov called the father of the Soviet h-bomb this nuclear

father of the Soviet h-bomb this nuclear

father of the Soviet h-bomb this nuclear physicist created the USSR s third idea

physicist created the USSR s third idea

physicist created the USSR s third idea eventually he publicly expressed unease

eventually he publicly expressed unease

eventually he publicly expressed unease about the ethical repercussions of his

about the ethical repercussions of his

about the ethical repercussions of his work and became a civil rights leader

work and became a civil rights leader

work and became a civil rights leader which won him 1975 s Nobel Peace Prize

which won him 1975 s Nobel Peace Prize

which won him 1975 s Nobel Peace Prize ultimately his protest against the

ultimately his protest against the

ultimately his protest against the Soviets Afghanistan invasion got him

Soviets Afghanistan invasion got him

Soviets Afghanistan invasion got him arrested in 1980 and he was forced into

arrested in 1980 and he was forced into

arrested in 1980 and he was forced into exile for almost seven years though he

exile for almost seven years though he

exile for almost seven years though he never stopped fighting Soviet repression

never stopped fighting Soviet repression

never stopped fighting Soviet repression number five Martin Luther King jr. this

number five Martin Luther King jr. this

number five Martin Luther King jr. this pastor and activist was an iconic figure

pastor and activist was an iconic figure

pastor and activist was an iconic figure in the American fight for civil rights

in the American fight for civil rights

in the American fight for civil rights and that reputation got him sent to jail

and that reputation got him sent to jail

and that reputation got him sent to jail almost 30 times before his assassination

almost 30 times before his assassination

almost 30 times before his assassination while he was incarcerated for leading

while he was incarcerated for leading

while he was incarcerated for leading large demonstrations in Alabama King

large demonstrations in Alabama King

large demonstrations in Alabama King re-established his belief in peaceful

re-established his belief in peaceful

re-established his belief in peaceful protest and non-violence in 1963 s

protest and non-violence in 1963 s

protest and non-violence in 1963 s famous letter from Birmingham jail the

famous letter from Birmingham jail the

famous letter from Birmingham jail the next year he was awarded the Nobel Peace

next year he was awarded the Nobel Peace

next year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize I’m mindful that only yesterday in

Prize I’m mindful that only yesterday in

Prize I’m mindful that only yesterday in Philadelphia Mississippi young people

Philadelphia Mississippi young people

Philadelphia Mississippi young people seeking to secure the right to vote

seeking to secure the right to vote

seeking to secure the right to vote brutalized and murdered number four

brutalized and murdered number four

brutalized and murdered number four Liu Xiaobo the Chinese fight for human

Liu Xiaobo the Chinese fight for human

Liu Xiaobo the Chinese fight for human rights is another furious battle and Liu

rights is another furious battle and Liu

rights is another furious battle and Liu one of its strongest dissidents

one of its strongest dissidents

one of its strongest dissidents demanding sweeping change and an end to

demanding sweeping change and an end to

demanding sweeping change and an end to communist rule he helped build the

communist rule he helped build the

communist rule he helped build the Charter o8 manifesto that project led to

Charter o8 manifesto that project led to

Charter o8 manifesto that project led to his 11 year jail sentence during which

his 11 year jail sentence during which

his 11 year jail sentence during which he was awarded 2010’s a Nobel Peace

he was awarded 2010’s a Nobel Peace

he was awarded 2010’s a Nobel Peace Prize because Liu couldn’t attend his

Prize because Liu couldn’t attend his

Prize because Liu couldn’t attend his statement of

statement of

statement of imprisonment entitled I have no enemies

imprisonment entitled I have no enemies

imprisonment entitled I have no enemies was read at the ceremony

was read at the ceremony

was read at the ceremony number three honest and Suchi after

number three honest and Suchi after

number three honest and Suchi after founding Burma’s National League for

founding Burma’s National League for

founding Burma’s National League for Democracy in 1988 su Chi was told to

Democracy in 1988 su Chi was told to

Democracy in 1988 su Chi was told to leave the country or face house arrest

leave the country or face house arrest

leave the country or face house arrest she spent the next 21 years in and out

she spent the next 21 years in and out

she spent the next 21 years in and out of detention the ruling military Hunta

of detention the ruling military Hunta

of detention the ruling military Hunta refused to recognize the results of the

refused to recognize the results of the

refused to recognize the results of the 1990 election where her party won a

1990 election where her party won a

1990 election where her party won a majority but today this Nobel Peace

majority but today this Nobel Peace

majority but today this Nobel Peace Prize laureate is the official leader of

Prize laureate is the official leader of

Prize laureate is the official leader of the Opposition following her 2010

the Opposition following her 2010

the Opposition following her 2010 release if I’m asked why I’m fighting

release if I’m asked why I’m fighting

release if I’m asked why I’m fighting for democracy in Burma it is because I

for democracy in Burma it is because I

for democracy in Burma it is because I believe that democratic institutions and

believe that democratic institutions and

believe that democratic institutions and practices are necessary for the

practices are necessary for the

practices are necessary for the guarantee of human rights number two

guarantee of human rights number two

guarantee of human rights number two Mohandas Gandhi Gandhi worked for

Mohandas Gandhi Gandhi worked for

Mohandas Gandhi Gandhi worked for equality and against discrimination

equality and against discrimination

equality and against discrimination whether he was battling the substandard

whether he was battling the substandard

whether he was battling the substandard treatment of Indians in South Africa or

treatment of Indians in South Africa or

treatment of Indians in South Africa or fighting for Indian independence from

fighting for Indian independence from

fighting for Indian independence from Britain Gandhi was using and developing

Britain Gandhi was using and developing

Britain Gandhi was using and developing groundbreaking nonviolent methods of

groundbreaking nonviolent methods of

groundbreaking nonviolent methods of civil disobedience or satyagraha while

civil disobedience or satyagraha while

civil disobedience or satyagraha while he was jailed many times for his

he was jailed many times for his

he was jailed many times for his Crusades against British imperialism he

Crusades against British imperialism he

Crusades against British imperialism he did succeed in leading India to

did succeed in leading India to

did succeed in leading India to independence before being killed by

independence before being killed by

independence before being killed by fanatic in 1948 number 1 Nelson Mandela

fanatic in 1948 number 1 Nelson Mandela

fanatic in 1948 number 1 Nelson Mandela his life’s work was to end racial

his life’s work was to end racial

his life’s work was to end racial segregation but it got him arrested

segregation but it got him arrested

segregation but it got him arrested charged with sabotage treason and

charged with sabotage treason and

charged with sabotage treason and violent conspiracy during the infamous

violent conspiracy during the infamous

violent conspiracy during the infamous Rivonia trial and sentenced to life in

Rivonia trial and sentenced to life in

Rivonia trial and sentenced to life in prison during his 27 year incarceration

prison during his 27 year incarceration

prison during his 27 year incarceration Mandela became an international symbol

Mandela became an international symbol

Mandela became an international symbol of anti-apartheid resistance as he

of anti-apartheid resistance as he

of anti-apartheid resistance as he refused freedom in favor of his beliefs

refused freedom in favor of his beliefs

refused freedom in favor of his beliefs [Music]

[Music]

[Music] mogera donkeys hallelujah

mogera donkeys hallelujah

mogera donkeys hallelujah that is our leader he was finally

that is our leader he was finally

that is our leader he was finally released at age 72 in 1990 after which

released at age 72 in 1990 after which

released at age 72 in 1990 after which he became the country’s first black

he became the country’s first black

he became the country’s first black president there have been so many

president there have been so many

president there have been so many inspiring people who’ve been jailed for

inspiring people who’ve been jailed for

inspiring people who’ve been jailed for standing up for their beliefs who do you

standing up for their beliefs who do you

standing up for their beliefs who do you think of the most inspiring political

think of the most inspiring political

think of the most inspiring political prisoners for more informative top 10s

prisoners for more informative top 10s

prisoners for more informative top 10s be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com

be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com

be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com [Music]

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