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Birth Name:
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George Bizos
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Occupation:
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Political Activist and Human Rights Lawyer
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Date of Birth
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15 November 1927(age 96 years)
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Died
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9 September 2020 (aged 92), Johannesburg, South Africa
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Place of Birth
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Koroni, Greece |
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Nationality:
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South African |
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Gender:
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Male
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Spouse:
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Arethe Daflos also known as “Rita” (m. 1948; died 2017)
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George Bizos was the Greek-South African political activist and human rights lawyer best known for representing Nelson Mandela during the Rivonia Trial.
Who Was George Bizos?
George Bizos, (born 15 November 1927, Koroni, Greece), was Greek-South African human rights lawyer who campaigned against apartheid in South Africa. He also represented the families of anti-apartheid activists killed by the government, throughout the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Early life
George Bizos arrived with his father in South Africa, aged 13, as a refugee from World War 2. He was the son of Antonios “Antoni” Bizos, the mayor of the small village of Vasilitsi, south of Koroni and Kalamata on the Messenia peninsula of the Peloponnese, Greece. He was born on 15 November 1927, although this was recorded incorrectly on his South African identity documents as 1928, owing to his father’s declaration to the authorities upon arrival in Egypt.
Children
George Bizos was living in Johannesburg and married with three sons.
George Bizos wife
George Bizos was married to Arethe Daflos, known as “Rita”, who he met in 1948 when she was an art student. The couple had three sons. Rita died in 2017, shortly before her husband’s 90th birthday.
Education
George Bizos went on to study at the University of the Witwatersrand and was admitted to the Johannesburg Bar in 1954.
Career
He served as an Advocate in Johannesburg until 1990 when he worked as a counsel to 40 lawyers at the Legal Resources Centre and the Constitutional Litigation Unit. During the Apartheid years Bizos dedicated his working life to fight for the basic Human Rights. After the collapse of the Apartheid he turned his fight into ensuring that all South Africans equally enjoy those rights enshrined and guaranteed by the constitution.
In his legal career he represented lot of political activists in high profile political trials. He represented Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela in both Treason and Rivonia Trial. Apart from Mandela he appeared in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission representing families of killed heroes of our liberation struggle. He represented the families of Steve Bantu Biko, Chris Hani and the Cradock Four (Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlawuli).
In the TRC he blocked amnesty applications made by the perpetrators of these murders. In 1989 he published a book called No one to blame? In pursuit of Justice in South Africa.
In 2004 Bizos represented Morgan Tsvangirai, president of the main opposition party (Movement for Democratic Change) in Zimbabwe who was charged of high Treason by Zimbabwean government. When Bizos is not in courtroom he would spend his time in vegetable gardens. Bizos received quite number of awards for the splendid job he performed during his legal career. He also occupied high positions in different institutions. On 25 October 2004 he received the International Bar Association’s (IBA) prestigious Bernard Simons Memorial Award at Auckland. On 3 November 2004 he received annual Sydney and Felicia Kentridge Award, from the General Council of the Bar.
Other Achievements and Positions held by Bizos.
1979 – 1993 – acted as defence counsel in numerous high profile political trials, founding member of the National Council of Lawyers for Human Rights.
1982 – 1994 – Senior Counsel at the Legal Resources Centre in Johannesburg in the Constitutional Unit; member of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of Witwatersrand.
1985 – 1993 – Judge of the Court of Appeal in Botswana
1994 – Honorary Member of the Athens Bar
1990 – 1994 – Member of the ANC’s Legal and Constitutional Committee.
In 1999 he received the Order for Meritorious Service Class II medal from then-president Nelson Mandela
A member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in 1999
Leader of the team for the Constituent Assembly before the Constitutional Court to certify the country’s new Constitution
In 1994 he was appointed to the Judicial Services Commission to recommend candidates for judicial office and reforms to the judicial system.
Death
George Bizos passed away on 9 September 2020 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.