AMSTERDAM, April 3rd, 2025 – Angolan lawyer Zola Ferreira Bambi has won the Lawyers for Lawyers Award 2025. The Award will be presented at a ceremony co-hosted by Lawyers for Lawyers and the Amsterdam Bar Association in the Rode Hoed in Amsterdam on 15 May.
Jury remarks
“Once again, it was difficult for the jury to choose a winner from all the nominations of human rights defenders, each of whom – often at the expense of their own safety – continues to bravely advocate for people or groups who urgently need legal assistance. Ultimately, the jury was unanimous in its opinion that Zola Ferreira Bambi from Angola deserves the award. The information received indicates that he has exemplary dedication to other defenders, journalists, and communities. This has clearly come at the expense of his own safety and freedom, as well as that of his family members. Nevertheless, he has continued to fight for the rights of those in need.”
Zola Ferreira Bambi
Zola Ferreira Bambi is a dedicated human rights lawyer with a steadfast commitment to defending human rights defenders and vulnerable communities whose rights are routinely violated. As the President of the Observatory for Social Cohesion and Justice in Angola, he plays a pivotal role in exposing violations of fundamental rights, shedding light on the lack of judicial independence, and highlighting the arbitrary legal procedures that undermine justice.
Since the early 2000s, Zola Bambi has been at the forefront of documenting and challenging the persecution and judicial harassment of activists. He has provided legal counsel and representation to many activists unjustly prosecuted for peacefully exercising their rights. Over the past decade, he has documented and denounced numerous cases of corruption, impunity, and abuse of power, as well as incidents of illegal land grabbing and forced displacement, alongside police violence. In addition, he has worked with community radios to promote legal culture and raise awareness of the values of a democratic state governed by law.
Often involved in sensitive and high-profile cases, Zola Bambi has become a leading voice for activists and journalists persecuted for their commitment to freedom of speech. One of his most notable cases involved representing activists and a journalist arbitrarily arrested in September 2023 for attempting to participate in a peaceful protest. He was also deeply involved in the investigation of the sensitive and widely-publicized Cafunfo case, where approximately one hundred citizens were executed by security forces in the mining town of Cafunfo. He defended the surviving protesters in court, ensuring that their voices were heard.
Throughout his career, he has faced numerous threats and acts of retaliation due to his advocacy. For over a decade, he has endured pressure, intimidation, and even death threats, all of which have not deterred his commitment to justice. In January 2024, he was subjected to house arrest by the police and forcibly taken to a police station, allegedly to prevent him from attending a hearing where he was scheduled to defend an activist detained under unlawful circumstances. Despite the constant threats, his unwavering courage and dedication have made him an invaluable advocate for justice and human rights in Angola.
Shortlist
Ten human rights lawyers from across the world were nominated for the Lawyers for Lawyers Award 2025. The independent expert jury which consisted of Mr Egbert Myjer (chair), Ms Jenny Goldschmidt, and Ms Channa Samkalden, Ms Agaath Reijnders-Sluis and Mr Robert Crince Le Roy unanimously selected Zola Ferreira Bambi as the laureate. Additionally, the jury shortlisted Dmitri Nikolayevich Talantov from Russia and Kenia Veliza Oliva Cardona from Honduras.
Lawyers for Lawyers Award
The Lawyers for Lawyers Award honours lawyers who have made significant contributions to the protection of the rule of law and human rights in challenging environments and is presented every two years. Through this biannual Award, Lawyers for Lawyers generates public recognition for their work. The prize is a special token as well as a donation of €10.000. Former laureates are: Alec Muchadehama from Zimbabwe (2011), Magamed Abubakarov from the Russian Federation (2013), Jorge Molano from Colombia (2015), Sirikan Charoensiri from Thailand (2017), Selçuk Kozağaçlı from Turkey (2019), Maksim Znak & Liudmila Kazak both from Belarus (2021) and Claudia Gonzalez Orellana (2023). 2023 laureate Claudia González Orellana will present the 2025 award to Zola Ferreira Bambi at the ceremony to be held at the Rode Hoed in Amsterdam on 15 May.
About Lawyers for Lawyers
Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) is an independent, non-political and not-for-profit lawyers’ organization established in 1986. Our mission is to promote the independent functioning of lawyers and the legal profession across the world in accordance with internationally recognized norms and standards. Our work to support lawyers who are at risk as a result of discharging their professional duties, seeks to protect them from threats, risks and reprisals, strengthens their international recognition and protection in laws, policies and practices, and empower them to fulfil their role as essential agents of the administration of Justice. Lawyers for Lawyers was granted special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council in July 2013.
Contact information
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