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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Index of articles on the mistreatment of the legal profession in Zimbabwe
Harrassment
of lawyers continues
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
May 15, 2007
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the special index page on the mistreatment of the legal profession
in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights (ZLHR) strongly deplores the continuing harassment
of lawyers by state agents that has been taking place countrywide.
HARARE
On Monday, 14 May, police arrested Jonathan Samkange, a lawyer with
Byron, Venturas and Partners at his Avondale residence on allegations
of contravening section 26 (1) (b) of the Immigration Act. Samkange,
who is detained at the Rhodesville Police Station, is alleged to
have falsely declared that a guest he had hosted was a visitor instead
of an intended witness in the Mann extradition. The lawyer is however
still to be formally charged and has not been warned and cautioned
despite that the offence he is said to have committed is a fineable
one.
MUTARE
Ten lawyers were today arrested, detained and later released from
the Mutare Central Police Station as they marched against the continued
harassment and arrest of lawyers. They also intended to present
a petition to the governor of Manicaland, Tineyi Chigudu. The ten
lawyers who included LSZ Councillor, Tinozive Bere of Bere Brothers,
ZLHR Board Member, Trust Maanda of Henning Lock Donagher and Winter,
Johanes Zviuya, Muhloro Mubata, Chris Ndlovu and Ashel Mutungara
were picked up by police a 1400 hours and released at 1545hours
without being charged.
ZLHR is encouraged
that after their release Bere was allowed to proceed in the company
of a police officer to the governor's office to present the
petition.
ZLHR reiterates the need
for the state to safeguard the independence of the legal protection
and calls on the Minister of Justice, Legal & Parliamentary
Affairs, as well as the Attorney General of Zimbabwe to take action
against the harassment.
Lawyers can only fulfil
their duties when they are protected from pressures or threats that
arise from outside sources and ZLHR warns that the absence of such
an environment is detrimental to the administration of justice.
Visit the ZLHR
fact
sheet
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