deathsentences imposed underthesecurity laws,andattrialsofindividuals accused ofpolitically related crimescommitted duringthenation-wide protests thatbeganin1984.Inthesecases,theprisoners areheldincommunicado andm.'t oftenaresubjected tointensive interrogation andtorture. Thesefactshavebeen documented inareportpublished in1989byAmnesty International andhavealso beencorroborated byothersources. lQl 21.Thecaseofthe"Sharpeville Six"focused theattention oftheinternational community ondeathsentences rendered inpolitical cases. The"Six",accused of themurderofablackdeputymayoroftheSharpeville township byacrowd protesting arentincrease inSeptember 1984,hadbeensentenced in1985onthe l)asisofthedoctrine of"common purpose", according towhichagroupcansharein theaimofcommitting amurder, evenifitdidnotactually takepar.tincommitting thecrime. U~holding theconvictions andsentences ofthe"Six",theAppealCourt acknowledged that"ithasnotbeenproveninthecaseofanyofthesix••.that theirconduct hadcontributed causally tothedeathofthemayor•..".111 Domestic andinternational pressure persuaded theauthcrities tocommute their deathsentences on23November 1988totermsofimprisonment offrom18to25years. 22.Initsreport, Amnesty International notedthat"theAppealCourt's interpretation ofthedoctrine of"common purpose" spreads thenetofcriminal -7-liability verywidelyandraisestheprospect ofmanydeathsentences beingimposed infuturetrialsarising outofpolitical conflict •••".11/Thisassessment provedtobecorrect inthecaseofthe"Upington 26",inwhich14persons were sentenced todeathon26May1989,onthegroundthattheyhadshareda"common purpose" tocommitthemurderofamunicipal policeman on13November 1985.during political protests against rentincreases inPaballelo noarUpington. 11/In JUly1989,theappealagainst thedeathsentence failed. The14individuals constit.ute thelargest numberofpeopletobesentenced todeathatasingletrial forapolitically related incident. Theother 1~persons weresentenced tolong termsofimprisonment (seepara.210below). 23.Theincreasing numberofexecutions. inparticular. foroffences arising out ofpolitical prutests, hasgenerated arenewed discussion onthedeathpenalty in SouthAfrica. Already. byJune1989.37persons hadbeenexecuted atPretoria Central Prison. According toarecentreportbytheBlackSash,thevastmajority ofdeathrowprisoners areblackandhovebeenprocessed byalegalsystemthat doesnothaveasingleblackjUdge. Several anti-apartheid organizations and othersoutside SouthAfricahavecalledfortheappointmert ofajudicial commission ofinquiry intothedeathpenalty andhaveurgedamoratorium onall executions pending thereportofsuchacommission. li/ 24.Hundreds ofpersons facedothercharges indozensofpolitical trials. ranging from"terrorism". membership inand/orfurthering theaimsofbannedorganizations. undergoing military training, andpossession ofarmsar.dexplosives, tomurderand publicviolence. Sentences ofthoseconvicted ranthegamutfromdeath,25years inprisonorflogging, toafine. ByJanuary 1989.thenumberofpersons being heldinprisonforpolitical a~tivities was804.Itiscertain thatthenumberof political prisoners isunderestimated. asthestatistics arecompiled onthebasis ofpressreports, whichprovide extremely unevenandfragmentary information. Thesefigures. inaddition. beliethelargenumberofchildren Andyouthunder 21yearsofagewhoareserving prisonterms.althoughitisdifficult todetermine thenumberofchildren detained fortheirinvolvement inpolitical activity. 15/ 3.Detention without ~l 25.Detentions wereusedtosuppress organized opposition atthenational and locallevels. Inanattempt tostemtheDefiance Campaign against apartheid laws, authorities detained anumberofanti-apartheid activists inAugustand September 1989,including UDFleaders Mohammed VBlliMoosa,TitusMafolo. TrevorManuelandCurnick Ndlovu. Rallies andmarches organized inconnection with theCampaign wereviolently disrupted bythesecurity forcesusingwhips.tear-gas andrubberbullets. Following demonstrations against thecelebration ofthe "independence" oftheVenda"homeland" inJuly1989.reports emerged ofpolice brutality against an~torture ofdetainees without charge. 1U/ 26.Although there h~sbeenanoverall decrease inthenumberofdetentions. the periodofdetention hasincreased. Somedetairaes havebeeninprisonforalmost threeyears.becoming. ineffect. long-term prisoners. Itisestimated that100 children (under18)arestillindetention. Since1984.atleast51.000detentions
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the human rights situation in South Africa during the 1980s, focusing on political prisoners, detentions, and the death penalty. It highlights the suppression of opposition, torture, and intimidation by the security forces. The text also touches on the impact of the apartheid regime on society, including the imprisonment of children and the lack of representation in the legal system. Given the emphasis on human rights and political repression, it is likely that the text falls under a category related to these themes.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Human rights