Gëzim Çela was born in 1935 in Lushnjë. He was arrested on October 1, 1957, on charges of “treason against the homeland through attempted escape” and was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment. In 1971, he was sentenced again to 8 years of imprisonment on charges of “agitation and propaganda against the people’s power.” For his participation in the Spaç revolt, he was sentenced to an additional 12 years of imprisonment. He entered Spaç prison in 1971 and was released in 1984.