full_name: John Eugene Kearns
firstname: John Eugene
description: A student activist who was detained in November 1985 while attempting to cross the border into Botswana. He was then transferred to his home town of Paarl, Cape. During his detention under section 29 of the Internal Security Act, he was interrogated and threatened by named perpetrators. He and two friends were charged with terrorism. Mr Kearns had spent over six months in custody before the charges against him were dropped.