Written evidence submitted by The General
Council of the Bar
I enclose a copy of the report "The State
of Justice in Zimbabwe". The report is based upon the experience
of common law Bars that visited Zimbabwe in April 2004, as well
as a very extensive review of published material, and the knowledge
and authority of lawyers in Zimbabwe.
The report has been reviewed in draft by the
Law Society and the Bar Council of Zimbabwe. They have approved
its contents as being an accurate and truthful account of the
history and of the state of the legal system in Zimbabwe in 2004.
The Report has also been adopted by the International Council
of Advocates and Barristers.
The report concludes that the judicial system
in Zimbabwe has become profoundly compromised over the past four
years, to the extent that the Zimbabwean justice system has ceased
to be properly independent and impartial. The legal culture and
legal strictures have been subverted for political ends. The system
has been prevented from dealing with allegedly widespread electoral
abuse arising in the last Parliamentary elections, as long ago
as the year 2000, and continuing thereafter. This is of particular
concern in a pre-election period.
A copy of the report is available on the Bar
Council website at www.barcouncil.org.uk. We urge all who read
it, particularly the elected governments of Zimbabwe's neighbouring
states, to oppose this assault upon the rule of law.
Steven Irwin QC
The General Council of the Bar ("The Bar Council")
9 December 2004
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