South Africa: death of George Bizos, lawyer for Nelson Mandela

Renowned anti-apartheid lawyer George Bizos (here in 2017).

GULSHAN KHAN / AFP

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Human rights lawyer and apartheid fighter George Bizos died in South Africa on Wednesday at the age of 92.

He was the lawyer and close friend of Nelson Mandela, and also defended the great figures of the ANC.

He had retired a few years ago, but he will have marked the political life of the country by his pleadings and his fight for the oppressed.

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With our correspondent in Johannesburg,

George Bizos arrived in South Africa at the age of 13.

He fled with his father Greece, then occupied by the Nazis under World War II.

A law student, he met Nelson Mandela on the benches of the university,

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He will notably represent the father of the Rainbow Nation during the Rivonia trial, and allow him to narrowly escape the death penalty.

The two men will keep very strong bonds thereafter.

When the regime fell, George Bizos continued to play an important role by participating in the drafting of the Constitution.

He will also take part in the development of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and will become the lawyer for families of victims, such as Steve Biko or Chris Hani.

In 2012, 

.

At the age of 84, he then resumed the path of the courts to plead the cause of the 34 minors killed by the South African police.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, upon the announcement of his death, hailed the memory of " 

 ".

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• South Africa

• Human rights

• Nelson Mandela

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