§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment has been made of the independence of the judiciary in Zimbabwe. [56564]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe International Bar Association visited Zimbabwe in March 2001 and concluded that the rule of law there was in peril, and that the Zimbabwe Government had acted in a way that put democracy at risk. We are not aware of any more recent assessments by expert legal organisations of the independence of the judiciary in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Government ignored the recommendations of the International Bar666W Association. and continues to apply pressure to members of the legal profession. Our judgment is that this pressure has seriously undermined the independence of the judiciary.