We empower lawyers and associations to fulfil their role in upholding human rights.

Empower

We connect lawyers with their peers in the Netherlands, and further support our colleagues worldwide by sharing knowledge and expertise, including providing training on international law mechanisms. Fact-finding missions enable us to bear witness first-hand to the situations our colleagues are facing, and advocate for change on the basis of our findings.

We empower lawyers and associations of lawyers to fulfil their role in upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We’ll do so by:

  • Sharing best practices on core values and ethics underpinning the legal profession
  • Providing interactive training sessions and resource materials on international human rights law and international, including regional, mechanisms for the protection of human rights.
  • Developing tools, including the Lawyers for Lawyers database of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
  • Facilitating access to and opportunities for exchange between international networks of lawyers, associations of lawyers and other stakeholders.

Lawyers for Lawyers Award

The Lawyers for Lawyers Award is awarded to a lawyer or group of lawyers who work to promote the rule of law and human rights in an exceptional way and are threatened because of their work. The Lawyers for Lawyers Award is presented bi-annually, most recently in November 2021 to lawyers Liudmila Kazak and Maksim Znak from Belarus.

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Training and twinning

Lawyers for Lawyers can provide interactive training sessions and resource materials on international human rights law and international, including regional, mechanisms for the protection of human rights. We furthermore connect lawyers from the Netherlands with colleague lawyers from abroad, in ‘twinning’ projects.

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Toolkit for Lawyers at Risk

Looking for a helpful resource? The Toolkit for Lawyers at Risk is a unique tool aimed at facilitating the efforts of those seeking to protect lawyers at risk – that is, attacked for performing their professional duties and representing their clients’ interests – as well as to support and assist the targeted legal profession in their struggle. The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) developed the Toolkit in cooperation with Lawyers for Lawyers and other human rights organisations.

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14 March 2024

Interview with Mr. Ritwick Dutta; leading figure in environmental law in India for the past 20 years and founder of LIFE (Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment)

India

Ritwick Dutta, an environmental lawyer with over 20 years of legal experience in India, established his own organisation: the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) in 2008, with a specific focus on environmental litigation.  LIFE, a non-governmental organization (NGO),

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12 March 2024

UN Experts Call for Truth and Justice 20 years after Somchai Neelapaijit Enforced Disappearance

Thailand

The 12th of March 2024 marks 20 years since the enforced disappearance of Thai Human Rights Lawyer, Somchai Neelapaijit. His fate is still unknown. Somchai went missing on the 12th of March 2004, only one day after he had publicly

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8 March 2024

Joint oral statement during the interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on Myanmar

Myanmar

On 1 March 2024, Lawyers for Lawyers, The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, the Law Council of England and the Law Council of England delivered an oral statement during the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner  on Myanmar. The

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7 March 2024

First hearing in the trial against lawyer Süleyman Şahin: Diyarbakir 15.2.2024

Türkiye

On 15 February 2024, Lawyers for Lawyers representatives attended a hearing at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court, which marked the start of the trial against lawyer Mr Süleyman Şahin. As part of an international delegation, L4L was requested to

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5 March 2024

Risks of impunity: hearing in Tahir Elçi case on 6 March

Türkiye

Lawyers for Lawyers expresses deep concern regarding the upcoming trial of the late human rights advocate Tahir Elçi, highlighting Turkey’s failure to ensure fair proceedings and the consequent risk of impunity. Mr. Elçi, a prominent Kurdish lawyer, was assassinated in

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27 February 2024

Statement on the arrest and detention of Palestinian human rights lawyer Diala Ayesh

Occupied Palestinian Territory

Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) expresses grave concern regarding the recent arrest and detention of Diala Ayesh following her arbitrary arrest on January 17 2024. Diala Ayesh is a dedicated Palestinian human rights lawyer known for her advocacy on behalf of

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26 February 2024

Joint statement calling for greater protections for human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

In a joint statement, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) have welcomed the decision of the Zimbabwean authorities to drop charges brought against two human rights lawyers, Douglas Coltart and Tapiwa Muchineripi. This

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21 February 2024

Adil Meléndez Márquez Loses Security Detail Following Prestigious Award Win

Colombia

On January 23, 2024, Colombian lawyer Adil José Meléndez Marquez was honored with the Sir Henry Brooke Award by the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk, following a nomination from Lawyers for Lawyers. This prestigious accolade recognizes legal practitioners or human

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