Zimbabwean gvt urged to respect, protect lawyers’ rights

The Zimbabwean government has been implored to respect and protect lawyers, and reminded that independent lawyers have a critical role to play in the protection of the rule of law and human rights in a country.

In a joint statement, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) said lawyers should be able to carry out their professional duties in a free and secure environment.

The call comes after allegations of mistreatment of lawyers by police officers while carrying out their duties.

In that light, the IBAHRI and L4L called on the Zimbabwean authorities to promptly and adequately investigate the harassment and hindrance of prominent lawyer Harrison Nkomo and to ensure accountability for police abuses perpetrated against lawyers.

The government has also been called on to immediately take action to ensure the safety and physical integrity of Nkomo, including the provision of effective protection measures to guarantee that lawyers are able to carry their legitimate professional activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions; and refrain from actions that may constitute harassment, persecution, or undue interference in the work of lawyers in Zimbabwe.

This include their criminal prosecution on improper grounds such as the nature of cases in which the lawyer is involved.

The two institutions have since welcomed the decision of the Zimbabwean authorities to drop charges brought against two human rights lawyers, Douglas Coltart and Tapiwa Muchineripi.

This follows calls to do so in a previous joint statement, in which the organisations expressed ongoing concern at the challenges faced by human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe, including those who are increasingly being targeted by the country’s authorities for their involvement in electoral cases.

Zwnews