Mandela’s friend and lawyer, George Bizos, dies

George Bizos, who represented the late former South African President Nelson Mandela at his treason trial in 1963, has died. He was 92.
Bizos had a well-established practice as an advocate from 1954, mostly defending opponents of apartheid, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

“He also played an instrumental role in the negotiations for the release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners and together with Arthur Chaskalson and others, assisted in the drafting of our democratic constitution, which he then defended vigorously,” the foundation said.

Bizos died peacefully at home of natural causes, surrounded by family, according to the foundation.

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