Zimbabwe shock

Top international lawyers have expressed their shock over the way the authority and independence of Zimbabwes judiciary and legal profession is being undermined.Following a visit last month by an International Bar Association (IBA) mission which included meeting President Robert Mugabe the resulting report has called for the Zimbabwean government to zealously protect judges.

Lord Peter Goldsmith QC, a member of the delegation and co-chairman of the IBAs human rights institute, said what the mission saw shocked and dismayed us.Lord Goldsmith said: The reports of intimidation of members of the judiciary are justified in the sense they have taken place and are not being stopped by the government.According to the report, it is such intimidation, allegedly encouraged by the government, that led to the recent retirement of Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay.The delegation reported that President Mugabe gave verbal assurances that the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law would be defended in the future.

However, the delegation also found that lawyers are subject to threats and physical assaults in some rural areas of Zimbabwe, with the police unwilling or unable to help.

The Zimbabwean Law Society is under increasing pressure not to speak out about such incidents or to criticise the governments actions, the IBA said.

It is feared that the government will pass legislation curtailing what lawyers may publicly say about the administration of justice and rule of law.

Andrew Towler