Nieuws

Mohsen Bahnasi arrested

Egypt

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

Human rights lawyer Ayşegül Çağatay released from prison

Türkiye

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

Wang Quanzhang on the verge of being released – but may not regain his freedom

China

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

Egyptian human rights lawyer Zyad el-Elaimy sentenced to prison for BBC interview

Egypt

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

Release imprisoned human rights lawyers amidst COVID-19 crisis in Iran

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

Killing of lawyer Isaac Medardo Herrera

Mexico

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

Joint statement: protect prisoners, including lawyers, from pandemic

Türkiye

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

Iranian New Year: situation of lawyers on the ‘Nowruz’

Iran

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

Ding Jiaxi remains in custody following 1226 Crackdown arrest

China

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

Joint statement: suspension of Fatma Karume

Tanzania

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

16 years since disappearance Somchai Neelapaijit

Thailand

Sixteen years ago, Thai human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit disappeared and he is currently still missing. Until now, no perpetrators have been held accountable for his disappearance. Somchai disappeared on 12 March 2004, one day after he had publicly accused the police

Disbarment Amanzhol Mukhamedyarov and Erlan Gazumzhanov

On 26 February 2020, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan decided to disbar lawyers Amanzhol Mukhamedyarov and Erlan Gazumzhanov. Both Amanzhol Mukhamedyarov, the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Lawyers of the Kazakhstan Bar Association, and