prisoner of conscience

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July 21, 2026

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A prisoner of conscience is someone imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs. This term was coined by Peter Benenson, the founder of [Amnesty International](https://www.britann1

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political prisoner
Definitional issues
…Peter Benenson coined the term prisoner of conscience to describe two Portuguese students who had been sentenced to seven-year prison terms for their alleged “crime”—making a simple toast to freedom in spite of the dictatorial government of António de Oliveira Salazar that was in power at the time. Since then,…
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…Peter Benenson coined the term prisoner of conscience to describe two Portuguese students who had been sentenced to seven-year prison terms for their alleged “crime”—making a simple toast to freedom in spite of the dictatorial government of António de Oliveira Salazar that was in power at the time. Since then,…
Read More