Beatrice Mtetwa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beatrice Mtetwa
Beatrice Mtetwa in 2014
Born	1957
Nationality	Zimbabwean
Alma mater	University of Botswana and Swaziland
Occupation	Lawyer
Known for	Human rights work
Awards	International Press Freedom Award (2005) Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize (2009)

Beatrice Mtetwa (born in 1957) is a famous Zimbabwean lawyer. She is known around the world for defending journalists and fighting for press freedom. In 2008, The New York Times called her "Zimbabwe's top human rights lawyer." She works hard to protect people's rights and make sure everyone is treated fairly.

Beatrice Mtetwa's Legal Work

Beatrice Mtetwa was born in Swaziland. She studied law at the University of Botswana and Swaziland and finished in 1981. For two years, she worked as a prosecutor in Swaziland. In 1983, she moved to Zimbabwe and continued as a prosecutor until 1989.

After that, she started her own law practice. She soon began to focus on human rights law. This type of law helps protect the basic rights and freedoms of all people.

Fighting for Justice

Beatrice Mtetwa has worked on many important cases. For example, she successfully challenged a law that gave the government too much power over groups that help people, called non-governmental organizations (NGOs). She also questioned the results of some elections in 2000.

She once explained why she does this work. She said it's "not because there is any glory or cash to it... I'm doing it because it's a job that's got to be done." This shows her strong dedication to justice.

Defending Journalists

Mtetwa is especially known for defending journalists who have been arrested. These journalists often report on important news, and sometimes the government tries to stop them.

• In 2003, she helped Guardian reporter Andrew Meldrum. She got a court order to stop him from being sent out of the country. She delivered it just minutes before his plane was supposed to leave!
• She also helped reporters Toby Harnden and Julian Simmonds from London's Sunday Telegraph. They were arrested for reporting without government permission. Mtetwa helped them get acquitted, meaning they were found not guilty.
• In 2008, she secured the release of New York Times reporter Barry Bearak. He had been jailed for similar reasons.
• She has also defended many local journalists who were arrested before the 2008 presidential election.

Mtetwa & Nyambirai Law Firm

In 2006, Beatrice Mtetwa and Tawanda Nyambirai started their own law firm, Mtetwa & Nyambirai Legal Practitioners. Over the years, it has become one of Zimbabwe's top law firms.

The firm has handled many important cases, especially in human rights. For example, they played a key role in finding activist Jestina Mukoko. She was taken and held secretly for almost a month in 2008. Mtetwa then handled many related legal cases. She helped Ms. Mukoko avoid being charged and sued those who had taken her.

Today, Mtetwa & Nyambirai is a full-service law firm. This means they can handle many different types of legal matters in Zimbabwe.

Challenges and Threats

Because of her important work, Beatrice Mtetwa has faced many dangers. She has been attacked and even arrested.

• In 2007, she was reportedly beaten by police. This happened during a march protesting how lawyers in Zimbabwe were being treated.
• On March 17, 2013, Mtetwa was arrested while doing her job. She was helping a client whose home was being searched by the police. She was arrested after asking to see a valid search warrant. Her phone, which had private messages with her clients, was taken.
• Even though a high court ordered her release, the police kept her in jail for more than a week.
• Finally, on March 25, 2013, she was released. A high court judge said she should not be held without bail.
• Later, in November 2013, a judge ruled that Mtetwa had done nothing wrong. The judge found no proof that she stopped the police from doing their duties.

These events show how brave Beatrice Mtetwa is. She continues to fight for justice even when it puts her at personal risk.

International Awards and Recognition

Beatrice Mtetwa's courage and dedication have been recognized around the world. She has received many awards for her work.

• In 2005, she won the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists. This award honors those who defend press freedom, especially in dangerous places.
• She also received the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2008 from the same group.
• In 2009, she won the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize. This award is given by lawyers to a lawyer who has shown great dedication to human rights.
• The American Bar Association gave her their International Human Rights award in 2010.
• In 2011, she received the Inamori Ethics Prize from Case Western Reserve University in the US.
• In 2014, she was given the International Women of Courage Award. This award honors women who have shown exceptional courage and leadership.

Many universities have also honored her with special degrees:

• St. Francis Xavier University in Canada gave her an honorary degree in May 2013.
• The University of Bath in the United Kingdom gave her an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree in December 2013.
• Rhodes University in South Africa awarded her an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree in April 2016. This was for her work in promoting and protecting human rights in Zimbabwe.

See also

In Spanish: Beatrice Mtetwa para niños