Scotland advocates fund for Zim judges

Scotland advocates fund for Zim judges

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By Lucy Adams

SCOTLAND's advocates are raising money for judges and lawyers in Zimbabwe to help them remain independent under the oppressive regime of Robert Mugabe.

The Faculty of Advocates, made up of 700 of Scotland's lawyers, is working with other foreign bars to create a trust to provide practical and financial support to barristers and judges in the African state, where lawyers who disagree with the government have been arrested and intimidated.

The Edinburgh Declaration Trust, which will be run by nine bars from three different continents, has already raised tens of thousands of pounds to help fund subscriptions to legal journals, legal training and education and representation for barristers and judges taken to court by the government. The money may also help support any who are forced to resign.

The faculty has sent one donation and members will be asked to make further contributions in the coming weeks.

The trust has already helped pay expenses for independent, foreign advocates to represent High Court judge Benjamin Paradza – arrested on the orders of pro-Mugabe chief justice Godfrey Chidyausiku for alleged corruption – and judge Fergus Blackie.

Under Mr Mugabe, thousands of white farmers have been forced to flee the country and lawyers and judges have been assaulted and tortured for failing to agree with policies.

Anthony Gubbay, ex-chief justice and one of the most respected judges in the Commonwealth, was forced to quit in July 2001 under threat of violence and judge Michael Majuru, president of the administrative court in Harare, was forced to flee the country last year.

Roy Martin, vice-dean of the Faculty of Advocates and one of the trustees of the new body, visited Harare last week, along with representatives from four other bars, to look at the problems facing the judiciary.

Mr Martin said: "Given what I have seen, it is my impression that the system of justice in Zimbabwe has been very severely compromised.

"The importance of an independent justice system to any democratic state cannot be overstated. In several countries in recent years we have seen a steady eroding of the impartiality of their court systems and a worrying trend for intimidating those lawyers who attempt to retain their independence."

The trust is named after a 2002 declaration signed in Edinburgh which included a pledge to support the legal profession and judiciary in Zimbabwe.
Adams is a Home Affairs correspondent for the Scottish Herald
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