United Nations Security Council Resolution 473

United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....

473, adopted unanimously on June 13, 1980, after recalling resolutions 392

United Nations Security Council Resolution 392

United Nations Security Council Resolution 392, adopted on June 19, 1976, after the killing of black youths by South African police in Soweto and other areas, the Council strongly condemned the South African government for its measures of repression against the African people...

(1976), 417

United Nations Security Council Resolution 417

In United Nations Security Council Resolution 417, adopted on October 31, 1977, after reaffirming Resolution 392 , the Council condemned the continuing repression against black people and other opponents of apartheid, as well as the South African media and the mounting deaths of detainees...

(1977), 418

United Nations Security Council Resolution 418

United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, adopted unanimously on 4 November 1977, imposed a mandatory arms embargo against apartheid South Africa. This resolution differed from the earlier Resolution 282, which was only voluntary...

(1977), 454

United Nations Security Council Resolution 454

United Nations Security Council Resolution 454, adopted on November 2, 1979, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions 387 and 447 , noting its concern and condemned the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied...

(1979) and 466 (1980) and letters from the Committee for South Africa, the Council expressed its concern and condemned South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

for the killing of protesters, including schoolchildren, opposed to apartheid.

The resolution went on to call for the release of political prisoner

Political prisoner

According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....

s, including Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...

, under a proposed amnesty

Amnesty

Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...

. It also expressed sympathy with victims of the violence, calling for an end to apartheid legislation that affects the news media, trials, organisations and equal opportunities. The Council also called on South Africa to cease military attacks on other countries, and encourages other Member States to reinforce the arms embargo

Arms embargo

An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...

on the country.

See also