English

Noun

political prisoner ‎(plural political prisoners)

1. A person imprisoned for their political views or political activism.
   • 1864, Edward McPherson, The Political History of the United States of America, During the Great Rebellion, from November 6, 1860, to July 4, 1864:

     Section 2 directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of War to furnish to the judges of the circuit and district courts of the United States and of the District of Columbia, a list of the names of all persons, citizens of loyal States, held as State or political prisoners of the United States, in any for, arsenal, or other place […]

   • 1920 December 1, The World Tomorrow, volume 3, page 377:

     The political prisoner, however, undergoes cross-examination, as do all other prisoners, at the hands of the Court on the threshold of the trial, before any evidence on the part of the prosecution or the defense has been adduced.

   • 2008, Esmail Nashif, Palestinian Political Prisoners: Identity and Community, page ii:

     This is the first major study that examines the community of Palestinian political prisoners in the Israeli prison system.

Related terms

• prisoner of conscience

Translations