Nieuws

Trial of Abderraouf Arslane has started

Algeria

On 30 November 2021, the trial against Algerian lawyer Abderraouf Arslane started. During the hearing the court confirmed the accusations against him and referred his case to the Tebessa criminal court. The next hearing in his case will be held

Continued detention of Hejaaz Hizbullah

Sri-Lanka

On 19 November 2021, the bail hearing of Hejaaz Hizbullah took place at the Puttalam High Court. During this hearing, the judge stated that the High Court does not have the jurisdiction to grant bail under the PTA, Sri Lanka’s

Robert Roșu released from prison

Romania

Lawyers for Lawyers welcomes the news that Robert Roșu, partner at the law firm Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii in Bucharest, will be released from Rahova prison today after his appeal was admitted by the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

Four years since the arrest of Selçuk Kozağaçlı

Türkiye

Today, 8 November 2021, it has been exactly four years since the arrest of lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı from Turkey. On the 6 November 2017, Selçuk Kozağaçlı was arrested and charged with “membership of a terrorist organisation”. Two years later, in

Prison sentence Buzurgmehr Yorov shortened by four years

Tajikistan

It has been reported that on 18 October 2021 the lengthy prison sentence of the jailed Tajik lawyer, Buzurgmehr Yorov, was shortened by four years, meaning that he now has 11.5 years left to serve. Apparently this was part of

Joint letter on the reported torture of Payam Derafshan

Iran

In a joint letter Lawyers for Lawyers and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) express concern over the reported acts of torture against Iranian human rights lawyer Payam Derafshan. Payam Derafshan is a well-known human rights

Report: Legal Report on Indictment – Adana Bar Association

Türkiye

Lawyers for Lawyers has authored a report for the PEN Norway Turkey Indictment Project. The report is titled “Legal Report on Indictment: Adana Bar Association” and examines and reflects upon the flaws of the 2018 indictment issued against seven lawyers

Joint statement: Bar Association of Belarus should reinstate disbarred lawyer Natalia Matskevich

Belarus

Lawyers for Lawyers, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), European Association of Lawyers (AEA-EAL), Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR) and the Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights of the

Chang Weiping allowed first consultation with lawyer, recounts ill-treatment

China

For the first time since his arrest on 22 October 2020, Chang Weiping was finally able to consult his lawyer on 14 September 2021. Mr. Chang’s lawyer has reported that Mr. Chang was subjected to torture, as he was forced

Joint statement on the intimidation of Mohammed Sablouh

Human rights organizations, including Lawyers for Lawyers, are gravely concerned by the Lebanese authorities’ recent attempts to silence and discredit Mohammed Sablouh, a human rights lawyer defending victims of torture and Syrian refugees facing deportation. The actions of the Lebanese

Report: Legal Report on Indictment – Veysel Ok

Türkiye

Lawyers for Lawyers has authored a report for the PEN Norway Turkey Indictment Project. The report is titled “Legal Report on Indictment: Veysel Ok” and investigates and reflects upon the flaws of the 2016 indictment issued against the lawyer Veysel

Two years since Ali Jasseb Hattab Al-Heliji has forcibly disappeared

Iraq

The whereabouts of human rights lawyer Ali Jaseb Hatteb Al-Heliji from Iraq remain unknown exactly two years after he was abducted by armed men on 8 October 2019. Mr. Al-Heliji is a human rights lawyer and a member of the