One year since the arrest of Mahienour El-Massry
Exactly one year ago, on 22 September 2019, Mahienour El-Massry was arrested in front the State Security Prosecution office in Cairo, where she was following up on the investigations into a lawyer who was detained. El-Massry remains in detention until now. El-Massry’s arrest seems to be connnected to her legitimate activities as a lawyer and […]
Joint oral statement during id WGAD
On 21 September, Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) delivered an oral statement during the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD). L4L and LRWC asked the Council to urge Iran and Turkey to release all detained human rights defenders. Moreover, L4L and LRWC suggested that the Working […]
Nasrin Sotoudeh hospitalized after hunger strike
Jailed Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been hospitalized on 19 September 2020, after her health situation worsened after being on hunger strike for over 40 days. Ms. Sotoudeh began a hunger strike on 11 August 2020. In a letter detailing her reasons for starting a hunger strike, Ms. Sotoudeh has demanded the release […]
Court of Cassation upholds the prison sentences of all lawyers from the ÇHD
On 15 September 2020, the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation has ruled that the convictions of all ÇHD lawyers, except for Barkın Timtik, Selçuk Kozağaçlı and Ezgi Çakır, shall be upheld. On 20 March 2019, the Istanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court in Silivri Court House sentenced 18 lawyers to prison sentences between 3 […]
Abdullah Al-Shamlawi avoids prison sentence for social media posts
Prominent human rights lawyer Abdullah Al-Shamlawi from Bahrain was initially convicted on 30 June 2020 over a number of tweets he posted. However, Bahrain Institute for Rights & Democracy (BIRD) reported that Bahrain’s Third High Criminal Court suspended his sentence on charges of “inciting hatred of a religious sect”. Moreover, another charge of “misusing a […]
Joint letter on arrest 55 lawyers from Ankara
In a letter to the Turkish authorities Lawyers for Lawyers, together with the Law Society of England and Wales, the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Deutscher Anwaltverein, expressed concern about the ordered arrest and judicial harassment […]
Joint letter on the continued detention and precarious health situation of Nasrin Sotoudeh and Amirsalar Davoodi
In a joint letter Lawyers for Lawyers, the Law Society of England and Wales and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada have expressed concerns about the continued detention and precarious health situation of Nasrin Sotoudeh and Amirsalar Davoodi, both human rights lawyers in Iran. Ms. Sotoudeh is currently serving a sentence of 38 years in prison and 148 […]
Concerns about the recent developments in the situation of lawyers in Egypt
Lawyers for Lawyers is concerned about the recent reports of new cases filed against Egyptian lawyers Mahienour El-Massry, Amr Imam, Ibrahim Metwally Hegazy and Mohamed El-Baqer. We are also concerned about the conditions set for the release of Mohsen Bahnasi release. According to our information, lawyer Mahienour El-Massry was interrogated on 30 August 2020 on […]
Amsterdam Dean’s Award presented posthumously to Derk Wiersum
On 11 September, the Amsterdam Dean’s Award was presented posthumously to Derk Wiersum. Mr. Wiersum, a well-respected lawyer and deputy judge, was shot in broad daylight right outside his house in Amsterdam in the early morning of 18 September 2019. He was representing a crown witness in the so-called Marengo-trial, a high-profile criminal case against […]
Submission to UN Human Rights Committee
In 2021, the UN Human Rights Committee will review the Russian Federation’s compliance with its international human rights obligations, and more in particular the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Lawyers for Lawyers has taken the opportunity to file a submission on the list of issues to inform the Committee about the situation […]
Online event: 30th Anniversary of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers
On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, the Geneva Bar Association is hosting an event to celebrate this fundamental instrument. The event is supported by various organisations including Lawyers for Lawyers. The Basic Principles compile and address the fundamental guarantees necessary for a free, independent […]
Global Day of Action for the Philippines: concerns about extrajudicial killings
Today, at the Global Day of Action for the Philippines, Lawyers for Lawyers is more than ever concerned about the extrajudicial killings of human rights defenders and legal professionals in the Philippines. The Global Day is organized to draw attention to the extrajudicial killings that take place at an increasing rate for the last few […]
Harassment of Arnon Nampa
Lawyers for Lawyers is concerned about the recent harassment of prominent Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa. On 7 August 2020, Mr. Nampa, who defends the fundamental rights of the Thai people, was arrested in connection with his participation in a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok on 18 July 2020. After […]
Joint statement in connection with the detention of Belarusian lawyers Ilya Salei and Maksim Znak
Lawyers for Lawyers has signed a joint statement alongside 63 other signatories, expressing concern about the detention of lawyers Ilya Salei and Maksim Znak. In the statement, Lawyers for Lawyers and the signatories urge the Belarusian authorities to immediately release both lawyers. Ilya Salei and Maksim Znak were detained on 9 September 2019. Ilya Salei […]
Disappearance of Pakistani lawyer Mr. Muhib Ali Leghari
On 7 September 2020 the Sindh Bar Council, the Bar Council of a province in the south of Pakistan, strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of lawyer Mr. Muhib Ali Leghari. According to the Sindh Bar Council, Mr. Muhib Ali Leghari spoke out in matters of enforced disappearances and has been abducted himself on his way […]
Commemoration of Ebru Timtik
Today lawyers from various law firms and bar associations in the Netherlands observed a minute of silence to commemorate lawyer Ebru Timtik. Ebru Timtik passed away on 27 August 2020 after a hunger strike of 238 days, which she started to strengthen her demand for fair trials and the administration of justice in Turkey. Her […]
