Re-trial of Leyla Zana and her co-defendants is grossly unfair
In a report released today on another phase of the re-trial of Leyla Zana and three other defendants, the ICJ condemned the manifestly unfair proceedings.
Les avocats tunisiens bâillonnés par la décision d’une justice aux ordres
La Cour d’Appel de Tunis a fait droit à la demande de six avocats membres du parti au pouvoir, de faire réformer un appel du Conseil de l’Ordre National des Avocats de Tunisie à la grève générale dans tous les Tribunaux le jeudi 7 février 2002.
L’indépendance de la justice tunisienne en danger
La Commission internationale de Juristes et Avocats sans-frontières Belgique expriment leur entier soutien au Conseil de l’ordre des avocats tunisiens.
ICJ report condemns charges against lawyer
A report by the ICJ’s Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers finds that the aim of the prosecution against a human rights Malaysian lawyer was to intimidate and harass him in his work.
Italy : ICJ shocked at Berlusconi’s attacks on the judiciary
The ICJ today expressed its shock at the vicious attacks by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on the Italian judiciary, calling magistrates a “cancer that must be cured”.
Zimbabwe: charges against Judge Blackie dropped
The ICJ welcomed the Prosecution’s decision to withdraw charges against Fergus Blackie (photo), a retired Zimbabwean judge accused of corruption and obstructing the due administration of justice.
Former Judge Blackie was arrested in September 2002, two months after his retirement, and spent three nights in prison.
The former judge was facing charges after he acquitted a white woman accused of theft and sentenced the Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, to a three-month term of imprisonment for contempt of court. According to various national and international observers, the charges against Blackie, who is white, were politically and racially motivated. He was also seen as being too “independent”.
“The ICJ hopes this decision will be the beginning of full respect for human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe”, said Linda Besharaty-Movaed, Legal Advisor of the ICJ. “We believe this is just a small step in the right direction, however, more changes are needed. With the ongoing trials of Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition party, who is accused of treason, and Judge Paradza, who is charged with corruption, the eyes of the international community will more than ever be on Zimbabwe”.
The ICJ sent a trial observer to monitor the trial of former Judge Blackie, however, charges were withdrawn prior to the hearing. The ICJ is also monitoring the trials of Morgan Tsvangirai and Judge Paradza.
Zimbabwe-charges judge-press release-2003-eng (full text, PDF)
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