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Reported death threats cause human rights lawyer to flee
International Bar Association (IBA)
June 09, 2008

http://www.ibanet.org/iba/article.cfm?article=171

The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), is alarmed by the mounting number of murders and escalating levels of violence preceding Zimbabwe's presidential run-off elections due on 27 June 2008.

The heightened threat of assassination of prominent human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe, such as Andrew Makoni, has resulted in him fleeing the country for neighboring South Africa. Mr Makoni has relayed to the IBA conversations he has had with credible sources that contend there is a plan in place to assassinate him or another high-profile human rights lawyer, consequently conveying an unmistakeable message to other human rights lawyers defending political activists.

Justice Richard Goldstone, Co-Chair of the IBAHRI and former Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, says, 'Especially having regard to the need for a free and fair run-off election, it is quite unacceptable that human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe are consistently under attack for carrying out the duties of their profession. I call on President Mugabe and his government to do all within their power to prevent attacks on human rights lawyers and their clients.'

As a member state of the United Nations, Zimbabwe, under paragraphs 16 and 17 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1990), is obligated to ensure that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.

Further: Where the security of lawyers is threatened as a result of discharging their functions, they shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities.

It is a matter of record that, in recent weeks, four of Mr Makoni's clients have been brutally murdered without anyone being held accountable.

Emilio Cárdenas, Co-Chair of the IBAHRI says, 'The first obligation of a government is to provide security for its people. Clearly this is not the case in Zimbabwe. There should be an immediate investigation into the brutal and untimely deaths of all of the 40-plus murdered political activists since the March elections. It is implausible to think that the environment for the forthcoming run-off election can in any way be described as being conducive to a free and fair poll.'

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