Beatrice Mtetwa is a Zimbabwean lawyer who has been internationally recognized for her defense of journalists and press freedom. She has litigated on human rights issues since 1990 with an emphasis on Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media. As a result of her work she has been harassed by State agents through arrests, prosecution and physical assaults. She graduated with an LLB degree from the University of Botswana and Swaziland in 1981.  She worked as a prosecutor in Swaziland 1981-1983 and then in Zimbabwe 1983-1989 before going into private practice. She has received various local, regional and international awards in recognition of her work including Law Society of England and Wales Human Rights Lawyer of the Year (2003), Index on Censorship Law Award (2006), Committee to Protect Journalists (Media Lawyer, 2005), and 2008 (in recognition of Defending the Highest Ideals of Journalism), Felicia and Sydney Kentridge Award for Service to Law in Southern Africa (2009); American Bar Association International Human Rights Award (2010), Inamori Ethics Prize, 2011 from Case Western University, Cleveland.  Awarded Honorary Doctorates by St Francis Xavier University (Nova Scotia, Canada) 2013; University of Bath (United Kingdom) 2014; International Woman of Courage Award, 2014 (US State Department), Ivan Allan Jr Prize for Social Courage, 2014 (Georgia Tech, Atlanta); University of Law, London, 2015; University of Rhodes, Grahamstown, South Africa, 2016.Is an Adjunct Professor with Carleton University in Ottawa.  Is Councillor in the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute.  Is former President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe and has received many local awards.