Mohsen Bahnasi arrested
On 27 March 2020, Egyptian human rights lawyer Mohsen Bahnasi was violently arrested by national security agents. The following day, the Supreme Public Prosecution in Cairo ordered his detention for 15 days pending further investigation. This was reported by Frontline Defenders. Mohsen Bahnasi is charged with ‘joining a terrorist organisation’ and ‘spreading false news’ following […]
Statement on the situation of lawyers in Turkey
On this day, 5 april 2020 – celebrated as Lawyers’ Day in Turkey – Lawyers for Lawyers takes the opportunity to strongly condemn the on-going crackdown against lawyers in Turkey. Lawyers for Lawyers has asked attention on many occasions for the worrying situation of lawyers in Turkey. Lawyers in Turkey have been subjected to judicial […]
Human rights lawyer Ayşegül Çağatay released from prison
Lawyers for Lawyers welcomes the news that human rights lawyer Ayşegül Çağatay from Turkey has been released from prison on bail on 31 March 2020! On 20 June 2019, police raided the People’s Law Office (Halkın Hukuk Bürosu). Ayşegül Çağatay and her colleagues Görkem Agdede, Nadide Özdemir, and Ebru Timtik were taken into custody. On […]
Wang Quanzhang on the verge of being released – but may not regain his freedom
The prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang is expected to be released from prison on 5 April 2020. It remains to be seen whether Mr. Wang is allowed to travel to Beijing to reunite with his family. In a joint statement, Lawyers for Lawyers together with many other organizations, urges the Chinese authorities to […]
Letter on continuing judicial harassment of lawyers in Turkey
In a letter to the Turkish authorities Lawyers for Lawyers expressed concern about the continuing judicial harassment of multiple prominent human rights lawyers from Turkey. On 12 March 2020 the houses and offices of Messrs. Özkan Avcı and Zeynep Işık from the Diyarbakır Bar Association, Messrs. Hidayet Enmek, Sevda Özbingöl Çelik, Emrah Baran, Hüseyin Izol, […]
Egyptian human rights lawyer Zyad el-Elaimy sentenced to prison for BBC interview
On 10 March 2020 the Mokattam Misdemeanour Court in Egypt sentenced Zyad el-Elaimy, a human rights lawyer, former MP and one of the leaders of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, to one year in prison for “spreading false news with an intent to spread panic among the people and disturbing public peace” during a TV […]
Release imprisoned human rights lawyers amidst COVID-19 crisis in Iran
In view of serious threats to life and health, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawyers for Lawyers calls upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release all human rights lawyers unjustly jailed in Iran, including Nasrin Sotoudeh and Amir Salar Davoodi. COVID-19 is causing a breakdown in Iran. The country is dealing […]
Killing of lawyer Isaac Medardo Herrera
On 23 March 2020, environmental lawyer Isaac Medardo Herrera was killed in front of his house. The killing was condemned by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico. According to our information, on Monday 23 March 2020, Isaac Medardo Herrera was shot in front of his house. The murders knocked on […]
Joint statement: protect prisoners, including lawyers, from pandemic
Lawyers for Lawyers, together with fifteen other organisations, urged the Turkish Government not to exempt the release of political prisoners, particularly lawyers, journalists, politicians, artists, judges and prosecutors, human rights defenders and and others arbitrarily detained during the purge under emergency measures (2016-2018), in its forthcoming early parole bill. On March 20, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture […]
Iranian New Year: situation of lawyers on the ‘Nowruz’
سال نو مبارک (happy new year)! Today marks the start of the Iranian New Year. Unfortunately, the ‘Nowruz’ does not seem to bring prosperity and happiness for many human rights lawyers who have been detained and prosecuted by the Iranian authorities. Attacks on lawyers have intensified in Iran in recent years. Lawyers are facing judicial […]
Ding Jiaxi remains in custody following 1226 Crackdown arrest
Former human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi remains detained following an arrest by police in Shandong Province, China on 26 December 2019. Ding’s arrest is part of a large-scale crackdown targeting human rights lawyers and citizen activists, which has been labelled the 1226 Crackdown. Neither such anti-activism crackdown nor Ding Jiaxi’s arrest are a first. Ding, […]
Joint statement: suspension of Fatma Karume
Lawyers for Lawyers, together with the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, the Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales, AIJA – International Association of Young Lawyers, SADCLA and SALC have issued a joint statement of concern regarding the suspension of Ms Fatma Karume, Tanzanian lawyer and former President of the Tanganyika Law Society. On […]
Unannounced visits to offices of LBH APIK
Lawyers for Lawyers and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada have called on the Indonesian authorities to conduct a professional and independent investigation into the conduct of the people, including the 4 police officers, who made unannounced visits without a search warrant to the offices of LBH APIK in East Jakarta in February 2020 and threatened LBH […]
Oral statement Egypt UPR outcome
On 12 March 2020, Lawyers for Lawyers, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, The Law Society of England and Wales (“Law Society”), and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) delivered an oral statement during the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. During this session, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Outcome […]
Oral statement Kazakhstan UPR outcome
On 12 March 2020, Lawyers for Lawyers and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute delivered an oral statement during the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. During this session, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Outcome Report of Kazakhstan was adopted. Lawyers for Lawyers had already submitted a NGO-submission for the UPR-session of […]
Oral statement Iran UPR outcome
On 12 March 2020, Lawyers for Lawyers and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute delivered an oral statement during the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. During this session, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Outcome Report of Iran was adopted. Lawyers for Lawyers had already submitted a NGO-submission for the UPR-session of […]
