All Press Releases
3 September 2010
Lawyers for Human Rights is concerned about the Cabinet announcement made on the 2
nd September that they intend to end the "special dispensation" for Zimbabweans that was announced April 2009. In April 2009, the then Minister of Home Affairs, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, announced the following three policy changes in respect of Zimbabwean nationals:
1. A moratorium on...
3 September 2010
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gina Snyman
Lawyers for Human Rights
gina [at] lhr [dot] org [dot] za
Afghan national, Mohamed Khalid is being unlawfully detained in an unknown detention facility at the OR Tambo International Airport - in excess of 44 days. The man recently arrived on an Air France flight and has not been allowed to pass through immigration to enter South Africa. He is...
27 August 2010
On Monday, 23 August 2010, a contingent of officials from the Khara Hais Municipality accompanied by security guards and members of the SAPS arrived at New Heaven informal settlement in Paballelo, Upington. The municipal officials proceeded to tear down and demolish approximately ten shacks which had been erected and were occupied by desperately poor people including households headed by women,...
25 August 2010
Press Release - 25 August 2010
The advent of the removal of children begging in the streets in Tshwane, some accompanying adults has the public raging with dissent. Jo’burg Child Welfare (JCW) has the following comments on this issue:
“We note that such children are exposed to a great many hazards and that there is an urgent need for intervention to improve their...
19 August 2010
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and the Centre for Child Law (CCL) at the University of Pretoria will approach the North Gauteng High Court today at 14:00 to seek an urgent order for the release of three children from unlawful custody by state officials, most notably from the Department of Social Development (DSD).
On a terrifying Friday 13 August 2010, several state agencies including the...
22 July 2010
Lawyers for Human Rights (“LHR”) will be approaching the High Court today at 14h00 on an urgent basis to seek an order requiring the Tshwane Municipality to immediately supply temporary shelter for the victims of an unlawful and inhumane eviction which took place yesterday, 21 July 2010.
On 21 July 2010 the Tshwane Municipality destroyed 80 shacks in Pretoria East next to the...
28 May 2010
On 28 May the South Gauteng High Court ordered the immediate release of detained Zimbabwean human rights defender, Petro Chatiza. Lawyers for Human Rights launched an urgent court application for the release of Chatiza who has been active in the area of evictions and housing rights in Zimbabwe for several years. He was arrested on 21 May when he tried to board a flight at OR Tambo...
10 May 2010
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) welcomes today’s acquittal of Deputy Agriculture Minister-Designate and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Treasurer-General, Senator Roy Bennett on spurious charges of insurgency, banditry, terrorism and sabotage leveled against him last October.
On Monday 10 May 2010 High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu freed Bennett after ruling that the...
6 May 2010
The municipal bylaws which have been promulgated specifically for the soccer world cup in host cities come into operation on 7 May 2010 and will remain in effect until 15 August 2010. Lawyers for Human Rights (“LHR”) has been monitoring the implementation of these bylaws and remains concerned about the potential for abuse of these bylaws by municipal officials and, in particular...
4 May 2010
We, the undersigned, condemn the Australian government’s decision to suspend its processing of all applications for asylum from individuals from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, for three and six months respectively.
The Suspension Policy is predicated on a profound misreading of the current situation in Sri Lanka and in Afghanistan. It plainly violates Australia’s human rights...