PRESS STATEMENT ON BOOK LAUNCH OF ‘IN THE SHADOW OF THE NOOSE’  

ADVOCATE GEORGE BIZOS LAUNCHES DITSHWANELO BOOK

The book “In the Shadow of the Noose” traces the legal case brought by DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, on behalf of two Basarwa/San men. Convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1997, they successfully challenged their death sentences. Their convictions and sentences were set aside in 1999. After being re-charged in 2000, acquitted and released in 2005, the State then appealed. The case finally ended in 2006. This was the first time the death sentence had been challenged in Botswana after all established avenues of appeal had been exhausted. Their story raises fundamental questions about access to justice, the right to a fair hearing, as well as poverty and equality in a multicultural society.

This book has been recommended by His Grace Walter Paul Khotso Makhulu, Archbishop Emeritus (Patron of DITSHWANELO), His Grace Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus and Advocate George Bizos.

“In the Shadow of the Noose” will be launched by Advocate George Bizos on Wednesday 8 November 2006 at The Gaborone Sun at 6.30.

Advocate Bizos is a former Judge of the Court of Appeal of Botswana. He was born in 1928 in Greece and went to South Africa as a World War II refugee together with his father in 1941. He studied law at the University of the Witwatersrand and has practised law since 1954. He served as an Advocate until 1990 when he began to work as legal counsel to 40 lawyers at the Legal Resources Centre and the Constitutional Litigation Unit. The Legal Resources Centre is an independent, non-profit, public law centre in South Africa.

He has dedicated his life to the fight for basic human rights. In his legal work he represented Nelson Mandela in the Rivonia Trial. He also represented families before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. He has more recently represented Morgan Tsvangirai in his treason trial in Zimbabwe. Advocate Bizos was the leader of the team for the South African Government which argued that the death penalty was unconstitutional.

“In the Shadow of the Noose” is published by DITSHWANELO and written by Elizabeth Maxwell and Alice Mogwe. It is available at bookstores for P132 (ISBN 99912-598-2-1) and profits go towards human rights efforts in Botswana. For more information about the book please contact the distributor, Bay Publishing, at baybooks@it.bw.

Advocate Brian Spilg and Attorney Kgafela Kgafela, who were the legal representatives for the two convicted men during the 10 year trial will be present at the launch of “In the Shadow of the Noose”, which according to His Grace Desmond Tutu “…is an example of what non-governmental organisations can do on the African continent in promoting and protecting the human rights of our people”.

2 November 2006

Gaborone