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Rights award for Zimbabwean lawyer

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON DEC. 11. Beatrice Mtetwa, a Zimbabwean woman lawyer who risked her life and career to defend victims of human rights violations in her country, has been named the Human Rights Lawyer of the Year by Britain's leading civil liberties campaigners for her courage to fight for freedom of expression in a `hostile' environment.

The award, sponsored by Justice and Liberty, two separate human rights groups, praised Ms. Mtetwa for her "courage and commitment to human rights whilst working in an environment hostile to lawyers and the rule of law and her disregard to the risks of her personal safety''. Ms. Mtetwa has been a thorn on the side of the Zimbabwean Government, and recently she was beaten up by the police, resulting in extensive injuries.

In Britain, Ms. Mtetwa is best known for defending The Guardian correspondent in Harare, Andrew Meldrum, after he was arrested and put on trial by the Zimbabwean Government for "publishing falsehood''.

In a personal tribute, Mr. Meldrum described her as a `fearless' lawyer who had defended freedom of the press and the rule of law in Zimbabwe "under the most difficult and dangerous of conditions''.

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