1. 1
IDHAE Observatoire sans frontières des violations des droits de la défense
et des droits de l’homme des avocats dans le monde
ALERTE URGENTE AVOCAT
APPEL URGENT
Au service des avocats depuis 1984
ZIMBABWE
20 mars 2013
Refus de mise en liberté sous caution pour
Beatrice Mtetwa
Elle reste en détention provisoire jusqu'au 3 Avril.
Un juge de la Magistrate Court de Harare a refusé le 20 Mars la mise en liberté sous caution de
Béatrice Mtetwa et des quatre collaborateurs du Premier ministre Morgan Tsvangirai arrêtés
depuis dimanche 17 mars au lendemain du référendum constitutionnel. Pour rejeter la demande
de libération de Beatrice Mtetwa et des quatre collaborateurs du Premier ministre, le juge
Marehwanazvo Gofa dit a estimé qu'ils allaient "continuer à provoquer de l’agitation et
d’interférer avec les enquêtes de police : "Le vacarme et les cris peuvent empêcher les policiers
de mener correctement leur enquête la demande de libération sous caution est donc rejetée", a
décidé le juge. Il a fixé la date du jugement aux 3 et 4 avril, mais les avocats des cinq accusés
ont indiqué qu'ils allaient faire appel auprès d'une instance supérieure, afin d'obtenir leur
libération sous caution. Beatrice Mtetwa a été placé en détention provisoire jusqu'au 3 Avril.
Selon la Police Beatrice Mtetwa a été arrêté dimanche et accusée d'avoir invectivé les
enquêteurs, et de prendre des photos des policiers qui effectuaient une perquisition au domicile
de l'un des collaborateurs de Tsvangirai contenant des papiers du Premier ministre, principal
opposant au président Robert Mugabe. Selon Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, dont
Beatrice Mtetwa est membre du conseil, aurait tout simplement demander à la police de voir leur
mandat de perquisition, et écrit une liste de ce qui a été pris par la police.
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Dans la matinée du dimanche 17 mars 2013, Beatrice Mtetwa arrêtée et accusée « d'entrave à la
justice », ou d’avoir déjoué la justice..et trois proches collaborateurs du Premier ministre et chef
de file de l’opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, Thabani Mpofu, un des conseillers juridiques du
Premier ministre Morgan Tsvangirai, ainsi que deux autres assistants, Anna Muzvidziwa et Felix
Matsinde, ont été arrêtés à leurs domiciles respectifs par des policiers en civil
Leurs maisons ont été perquisitionnées par la police, tout comme les bureaux de la primature qui
abritent notamment le département de la communication du Premier ministre. Plusieurs
ordinateurs, des appareils photos, des téléphones et du matériel électronique ont été saisis.
Beatrice Mtetwa, lauréate du Prix International de droits de l’homme 2009,. a été arrêté après
avoir tenté de se renseigner quant à la raison pour laquelle son client Thabani Mpofu était en état
d'arrestation. Elle s'était rendue à Harare au domicile de Thabani Mpofu, alors que la police y
effectuait une descente dimanche matin
L’IDHAE condamne l'arrestation de Beatrice Mtetwa, le dimanche 17 Mars, qui est alarmant au
regard de l’Etat de droit.
L’IDHAE appelle la police et les autorités zimbabwéennes à respecter l'ordonnance de la Cour
du Zimbabwe , et de libérer Béatrice Mtetwa de détention et de lui permettre ainsi que d'autres
défenseurs des droits humains de mener leurs activités sans entrave.
L’IDHAE est fière de sa relation étroite et de longue date avec Beatrice Mtetwa, qui a travaillé
sans relâche à promouvoir l'état de droit au Zimbabwe.
L’IDHAE tient à appeler dans les termes les plus forts, les autorités du Zimbabwe à respecter
les droits des avocats de défendre leurs clients sans être inquiété.
APPEL
(en anglais ci-dessous.)
MERCI D’INTERVENIR IMMEDIATEMENT
ZIMBABWE
20 march 2013
Beatrice Mtetwa denied bail
She remains in custody to 3 April
A Juge of Magistrate Court on 20th March refused to allow Beatrice Mtetwa and four Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai aides to post bail
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Beatrice Mtetwa has been remanded in custody to 3 April.
In denying the bail application of Beatrice Mtetwa and the four aides today, Magistrate
Marehwanazvo Gofa said they would “continue to cause commotion and interfere with police
investigations”.
According to the police, Beatrice Mtetwa was arrested on Sunday and and accused of shouting at
and taking pictures of police officers who were conducting a search at the house of one of
Tsvangirai’s aides.
According to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, of which Beatrice Mtetwa is a board
member, her offence was simply asking the police to see their search warrant, and writing down
a list of what was being taken by the police.
On Sunday 17 March 2013 , police arrested prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa in
Harare’s Avondale suburb on allegations of obstructing or defeating the course of justice.
Beatrice Mtetwa, prize winner of Ludovic-Trarieux International Prize 2009, has been arrested
along with Thabani Mpofu, the Director of Research and Development in Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai’s office together with Anna Muzvidziwa and Felix Matsinde, who also work
in Tsvangirai’s communications offices in Avondaleon Sunday Marcvh 17th
The police raided Thabani Mpofu’s home and rummaged through it before confiscating laptops
and cellphones, among others.
Beatrice Mtewa was arrested after she tried to make enquiries as to the reason why her client
Thabani Mpofu was under arrest. After asking the police to produce a search warrant after they
pounced at the home of Thabani Mpofu in Harare, she too was accused of obstruction of the
course of justice.
IDHAE condemns the arrest of Beatrice Mtetwa, on Sunday 17 March, alarming in itself for
the Rule of law.
IDHAE calls on the Zimbabwean police and authorities to respect the Zimbabwean High Court
order, to release Beatrice Mtetwa from detention and to allow her and other human rights
defenders to conduct their work unhindered."
IDHAE is proud of its close and longstanding relationship with Beatrice Mtetwa, who has
worked tirelessly to promote the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe.
IDHAE calls, in the strongest terms, for the authorities in Zimbabwe to respect the rights of
lawyers to represent their clients without being harassed.
TAKE ACTION NOW !
IMMEDIATE ACTION ALERT
SEND A LETTER
Dear President, Dear Minister, Dear Attorney-General, Dear Commissioner for
Police
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The European Bar Human Rights Institute (IDHAE) whose affiliated are the the
International Committee of the Human Rights Institutes of the Bar of Paris,
Brussels, and Bordeaux, as well as the Union forense per la tutela dei diritti
dell'uomo (Roma) and the Rechtsanwaltskammer Berlin, the Bar of Geneva in
Switzerland and Luxembourg , the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA) and
Avocats Européens Démocrates (AED), has as among its aim interventions,
regardless of the limitations of borders, in favour of freedom and the fundamental
rights of lawyers with its World Observatory for Defence Rights and attacks against
lawyers : "Attorney Urgent Alert".
Or Institute is very concerned for respect for human rights and the rule of law and
by the situation of human rights lawyers in the world.
Or Institute is consequently extremely concerned to hear of Beatrice Mtetwa's arrest
and detention on Sunday 17 March.
We understand that, as a lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa was attending to a client whose
home was being raided and was placed under arrest after requesting the production
of a valid search warrant and inventory list for materials that had already been
removed from the home by the police.
We understand that she is still being held in cell at Rhodesville police station
We understand also that she has been charged with defeating and/or obstructing the
course of justice under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - section
184(1)(g) for asking the police for a reason why they were searching the home of her
clients.
We are reliably informed that High Court judge, Justice Charles Hungwe, ordered
the “immediate release” of Mtetwa from police custody at Rhodesville Police Station
but the police declined to set her free.
Beatrice Mtetwa is the prize winner of the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human
Rights Prize 2009, awarded every year to «a lawyer who throughout his career has
illustrated, by his activity or his suffering, the defence of human rights, the
promotion of defence rights, the supremacy of law, and the struggle against racism
and intolerance in any form ".
IDHAE is proud of its close and longstanding relationship with Beatrice Mtetwa,
who has worked tirelessly to promote the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe.
In this context, IDHAE respectuously calls on the Zimbabwean police and
authorities to respect the Zimbabwean High Court order, to release Beatrice Mtetwa
from detention and to allow her and other human rights defenders to conduct their
work unhindered."
IDHAE calls on to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological
integrity of Beatrice Mtetwa, as well as all human rights defenders in the country;
IDHAE calls, in the strongest terms, for the authorities in Zimbabwe to respect the
rights of lawyers to represent their clients without being harassed.
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IDHAE wishes to draw to your attention the following Articles of the United Nations
Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990):
Article 16 states that: “Governments shall ensure that lawyers (a) are able to
perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance,
harassment or improper interference; (b) are able to travel and to consult with their
clients freely both within their own country and abroad; and (c) shall not suffer, or
be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economics or other sanctions for
any action taken in accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and
ethics.”
Yours sincerely,
TO : Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax: +263 4 726
Mr. Robert G. Mugabe, 716;
President of Zimbabwe,
Office of the President, Mr. Patrick Chinamasa,
Private Bag 7700, Causeway, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs,
Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax: + 263 4 77 29 99 / +263 4 252
Fax: +263 4 708 211 / + 155;
263.4.70.38.58;
Mr. Augustine Chihuri,
Mr. Khembo Mohadi, Commissioner General, Police
co-Minister of Home Affairs, Headquarters,
Ministry of Home Affairs, P.O. Box 8807,
11th Floor Mukwati Building, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe,
Private Bag 7703, Causeway, Fax: +263 4 253 212 / 728 768 / 726
Harare, Zimbabwe, 084;
Fax: +263 4 726 716;
Mr. Johannes Tomana,
Ms. Terese Makone, Attorney-General,
co-Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry Office of the Attorney,
of Home Affairs, 11th Floor Mukwati PO Box 7714, Causeway,
Building, Private Bag 7703, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe,
Fax: + 263 4 77 32 47;
L' bservatoire sans frontières des violations des droits de la défense et des droits de
l’homme des avocats dans le monde
Institut des Droits de l’Homme des Avocats Européens
European Bar Human Rights Institute
www.idhae.org
e-mail : idhae@idhae.org
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