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Notice of Objection - Update #12
Citizenship Lobby Group (CLG)
February 20, 2002

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Dear All

Magistrate Court Hearings and Legal advice

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have done a good job of providing legal assistance to appellants in the courts these last few days. However, this initiative will be difficult for them to sustain given the large number of court rooms being used simultaneously to hear all of the appeals.

Should you find yourself at the courts without legal representation, the ZLHR have provided the following advice to guide you through your appeal:
- Download this document
- Rich Text File (RTF) version - (6KB) can be opened by most word processors
- Acrobat PDF version - (46KB):

Advice from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights on removal from the voters roll.

We have provided a number of draft statements for you to use in your hearing, if you wish.

There are 4 different forms depending on whether:

a) you were born in Zimbabwe or

b) you were a permanent resident before you became a Zimbabwe citizen.

and

1) whether you agree to have your case referred to the High Court; or

2) whether you want to have it resolved at the Magistrates Court.

These latter 2 options are .

1) Referral of your case to the High Court. Our lawyers advise this course of action, since the prospects of success are much higher. But, please be aware that ZLHR cannot guarantee to provide legal representation for you in the High Court and you may need to instruct your own lawyer. However, your matter may not, in fact, reach the High Court, because numerous test cases and class actions are already before the courts and the outcome of these may result in your case being unnecessary.

2) If you do not want to run the risk of having to pay for a lawyer or representing yourself in the High Court, you may want to choose the second option where your case is heard by the magistrate.

In each of these scenarios, we have attempted to include all the relevant points of law to which the magistrate should apply his mind.

Feel free to use one of these forms or not, as you choose.

We ask your co-operation, however, in submitting to us the details of the outcome of your hearing at the magistrates court – ie, whether the magistrate agreed to postpone your hearing, or whether he agreed to refer it to the High Court, or whether he made a ruling in the matter and what that was.

If you send back this information, we can track the decisions being made at these hearings and also try to provide further legal advice and possibly assistance for the first few matters which come before the High Court.

We cannot speak to each and every one of you and give individual advice – we would simply be swamped! Please therefore simply state the relevant information (eg name, case number, contact phone and date of hearing) and send this to us via fax on Harare 251468, or by mail to P O Box CY 1393 Causeway. If you have email, please submit this information to zlhr@icon.co.zw.

We very much regret that we cannot reply to you individually, but hope you that you will be able to assist yourself by use of these forms and any subsequent advice we will be circulating.

Copies of the forms will be sent out on the email and will also be made available at the magistrates court at 8:30 each day that the hearings are scheduled – provided we can find volunteers to do this. Additionally, copies can be collected from the law firms of Kantor & Immerman and Gollop & Blank in Harare. More collection places will be notified in due course.

Choose the correct form

1. Born in Zimbabwe and choose to refer your appeal to the High Court
- Click here to view citHC.rtf     OR
- Download this document:
   - Rich Text File (RTF) version - (11KB) can be opened by most word processors
   - Acrobat PDF version - (61KB)

2. Born in Zimbabwe and choose to settle your appeal in the Magistrate's Court
- Click here to view citMC.rtf    OR
- Download this document:
   - Rich Text File (RTF) version - (10KB) can be opened by most word processors
   - Acrobat PDF version - (60KB)

3. Permanent resident before you became a Zimbabwe citizen and choose to refer your appeal to the High Court
- Click here to view resHC.rtf    OR
- Download this document:
   - Rich Text File (RTF) version - (12KB) can be opened by most word processors
   - Acrobat PDF version - (62KB)

4. Permanent resident before you became a Zimbabwe citizen and choose to settle your appeal in the Magistrate's Court
- Click here to view resMC.rtf    OR
- Download this document:
   - Rich Text File (RTF) version - (11KB) can be opened by most word processors
   - Acrobat PDF version - (62KB)

Volunteers needed

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) need:

a. Lawyers to assist with this exercise

b. Volunteers to help with handing out the forms described above and attached to this email, at the various magistrates courts around the country. This particularly applies to Harare this week. People who are prepared to be collection points for these forms are also invited to call.

Please call Harare (04) 251468 and leave the following information on the answer phone/fax

• Name
• Contact number
• City
• Dates on which you are available to distribute forms

Do your best to attend your court hearing

Please do your best to see this process through this stage. It would be a great pity to lose your vote when you have every right to retain it.

Visit the CLG Fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

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