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PICS:Nelson Mandela Timeline

PHOTOS:The Legacy of Nelson Mandela

He was eventually arrested and charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the government. Speaking from the dock in the Rivonia court room, Mandela used the stand to convey his beliefs about democracy, freedom and equality. "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities," he had said during the historic trial.