WASHINGTON - Legal practitioners’ groups have strongly condemned the brutal attack on human rights lawyer, Obey Shava, who was assaulted by unknown assailants Wednesday night in Harare.
In a statement posted on its official Twitter account, the Law Society of Zimbabwe said the manner in which Shava was attacked is similar to what happened to Kudzai Kadzere, who was assaulted by police a few months ago while rendering services as a legal practitioner to his clients, and the cyberbullying of Mrs. Fadzai Traquino by a disgruntled litigant on social media.
It said, “Lawyers have a right and an obligation to represent their clients free from bullying or threats of violence against their person. The Law Society of Zimbabwe is appalled by the increase in attacks and the use of violence against legal practitioners and these acts directly undermine the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe.”
The Law Society of Zimbabwe further noted that the attacks are worrisome as they are happening at a time the southern African nation is preparing to hold council, parliamentary and presidential elections.
“Inevitably, disputes will arise, and parties have a constitutionally protected right to legal representation of their choice. In this regard, the chosen lawyers should freely practice their profession without fear, favour, or risk of being associated with their clients’ causes.”
The Law Society of Zimbabwe said attacking legal practitioners creates negative perceptions about Zimbabwe’s human rights record. It urged police to investigate all cases of violence against legal practitioners.
In a tweet, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights also condemned the attack, noting that Shava was accosted by four unidentified men who masqueraded as potential clients in desperate need of legal assistance. The “clients”, driving a Mercedes Benz and Range Rover, visited his office before they attacked him in Harare.
The ZLHR said, “We urge law enforcement agents and prosecutorial authorities to thoroughly investigate, apprehend, prosecute and punish the perpetrators of this heinous crime. ZLHR condemns this barbaric form of violence against Shava … We believe that the savage attack on Shava is a desperate attempt to silence and deter him from doing his critical work as a legal practitioner.”
The ZLHR said no lawyer should be assaulted, intimidated, hindered and interfered with in the execution of his duties.
“The assault, harassment and interference with a lawyer in the course of execution of his professional duties are in direct contradiction with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
The ZLHR urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to ensure and guarantee Shava’s safety, security and physical integrity and ensure that legal practitioners can carry out their work free of fear, harassment or intimidation and adequately protect the safety and independence of all lawyers and end the culture of impunity.
Another legal practitioners group, the Adventist Lawyers Association, also condemned the attack saying, “violence is a degenerative act to be shunned by all sensible people and it has no place in our society.”
The lawyers’ group urged the government and other arms of the state to investigate the case and bring the offenders to justice.
The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Zimbabwe is also breathing fire over Shava’s attack. In a statement, it condemned “in the strongest terms all acts of violence and in particular the barbaric violent attack on award-winning human rights lawyer, Mr. Obey Shava, by 4 unknown men as his Shava Law Chambers …
“We are deeply concerned about incidents, trends and patterns of violence against legal practitioners following the attack of another legal practitioner Kudzai Kadzere earlier this year.”
It further implored law enforcement agencies to uphold “the spirit of our Catholic Social Teaching which provides that ‘the evils of violence – whether delivered through word, system, institution, or deed – cannot lead to a truly better word. Every human being is called to actively work for peace through means that honor our solidarity, the common good and human dignity … Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Mat. 9:5’.”
Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, was unreachable for comment.
Mnangagwa has appealed for peace ahead of the 2023 general elections amid high tensions in the country as some opposition supporters claim that they are being harassed by suspected Zanu PF activists and state security agents.