Law Society launches appeal on behalf of lawyers in Zimbabwe

Thursday 1 November 2007

Today the Law Society of England and Wales has launched an appeal to collect £100,000 by the end of the year to help the Law Society of Zimbabwe maintain its services for lawyers and society in Zimbabwe.

President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, Beatrice Mtetwa, was in London last week to raise awareness of the challenges and threats to their lives that she and her colleagues face on a day to day basis as a result of their commitment to their professional duties as lawyers.  This followed a meeting in Nairobi with Andrew Holroyd, President of the Law Society of England and Wales, to discuss the Law Society of Zimbabwe’s request for capacity building support and basic materials such as books and IT equipment. 

Andrew Holroyd, Law Society President, says the Law Society of Zimbabwe is a vital voice in defence of the rule of law, constitutionalism, the independence of the judiciary and human rights. “I cannot be sure that I would be as brave as Beatrice and her colleagues, but all solicitors will share my determination to do what we can to support our colleagues in Zimbabwe.  Given the speed with which the justice system in Zimbabwe has collapsed over the space of only a few years the strengthening of the rule of law is a top priority.  The Law Society of Zimbabwe needs our help to support its stances in defence of the rule of law and Zimbabwe’s own legal constitution.”

The Law Society, through its charity, aims to use the money collected to:

·       Provide facilities for Law Society members in 5 regional centres to enable them to consult law books, use the internet and get support for pro bono cases.

·       Provide a means of transport for the use of the Law Society staff and council members to maintain contact with their members in the face of a non-existent internal communications infrastructure.

·       Continuing Legal Education training for LSZ members

·       Travel expenses and other costs for LSZ members to attend hearings at the African Court and other legal institutions.

Beatrice Mtetwa, Law Society President of Zimbabwe, says: “The Law Society of Zimbabwe has always been an important voice in defence of the rule of law, constitutionalism, the independence of the judiciary and human rights.  Lawyers in my country have been subjected to threats, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and detention, false prosecutions, abductions, assaults and torture in attempting to resist attacks on legal institutions.  We appreciate the help the Law Society is giving us to help protect human rights and legal standards and agitate for the return to the rule of law in Zimbabwe so that the country is given a chance to develop.”