In 1955 the police on South Africa did a massive round up where they grabbed anyone who was suspected of treason and Nelson Mandela was one of them. This was one of the longest trials as it lasted from 1955 to 1961 when Nelson Mandela and 28 others were acquitted. The treason trail found 156 arrested on suspicion of treason, but everyone was found not guilty. While the trials were going on Mandela's friend Oliver Tambo who he owned a law firm with left the country and was exiled. Before the treason trial had finished Nelson Mandela went to Pietermaritzburg to be amongst the All-in Africa conference. It was there where he came to conclusions he would write a letter to the current prime minister requesting a national convention on non-racial convention and that if that was not to happen that there would be a national strike against South Africa. After the treason trial was over Nelson started organising a nation wide strike for 29th, 30th and the 31st of March. The strike was cancelled due to massive moment from national security but was then asked to help start the armed wing of the ANC which was launched on 16th of December 1961. There goal was to mainly scare the government and not so kill people even though around 70 people died during the time is was active for. On the 11th of January 1962 Nelson left South Africa under a different name and traveled around England and Africa to help get support for the armed struggle that he was leading. On his way back to South Africa he was arrested in a police roadblock on the 5th of August. He was giving 5 years prison fir leaving the country without a permit and encouraging people to get rowdy. On the 9th of October 1963 Nelson Mandela and ten others were on trial for sabotage and was known as the Riviona trial. He was faced with the death penalty but ended up getting life imprisonment. During his time in prison there was lots of support from South Africans and people from everywhere in the world trying to get Nelson Mandela out of prison. There were many offers given to Nelson to leave but he turned them down until he was released in February the 11th 1990.