We advocate for laws, policies and practices that ensure protection for the independence and safety of lawyers

Influence

We advocate for a free and independent legal profession. You will find us regularly presenting at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, as well as actively seeking audiences with representatives of individual governments. In the Netherlands, we organise meetings for Dutch lawyers to make them aware of the difficulties being faced by their colleagues.

We advocate for laws, policies and practices that provide or reinforce effective protections for the independent functioning and safety of lawyers in accordance with internationally recognized laws and standards.

We’ll do so by:

  • Engaging with international bodies and their mechanisms to advocate for standards, resolutions and recommendations that strengthen the independence and safety of lawyers.
  • Lobbying governments to adopt, implement and enforce effective legal protections and change laws as necessary that encroach on the independence of lawyers.

Consultative status

Lawyers for Lawyers has been granted the special consultative status by the UN Economic and Social Council, also known as the ECOSOC status. The status gives us the right to participate in meetings of the Council, its functional commissions and other subsidiary bodies.

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Fact finding missions

Reports of missions in which independent experts present their findings about the information they have gathered and the research they have done into the facts about a particular situation or conflict, are valuable sources of information for the United Nations and other state institutions and organizations to be able to act.

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Influence news

18 April 2023

UPR submission Cameroon

Cameroon

On 5 April 2023, Lawyers for Lawyers submitted a report for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Cameroon. The next UPR of Cameroon will take place in November 2023. The UPR report highlights issues regarding Cameroon’s compliance with its international

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30 March 2023

Joint oral statement during ID with Special Rapporteur on Myanmar

Myanmar

On 20 March 2023, Lawyers for Lawyers and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute delivered an oral statement during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar. The Interactive dialogue took place during the 52nd session of the

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30 March 2023

Joint oral statement to the Human Rights Committee on Algeria

Algeria

On 27 March, Lawyers for Lawyers and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute delivered an oral statement during the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. During this session, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Outcome Report of Algeria

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30 March 2023

Oral statement to the Human Rights Council on Indonesia

Indonesia

On 27 March, Lawyers for Lawyers delivered an oral statement during the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. During this session, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Outcome Report of Indonesia was adopted. Lawyers for Lawyers had already submitted

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8 March 2023

International Fair Trial Day 2023 and call for nominations for the Ebru Timtik Award

The right to a fair trial has long been recognised by the international community as a fundamental human right. Without a fair trial, every individual risks becoming the victim of a miscarriage of justice, either as an innocent suspect wrongly

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28 November 2022

The Democratic Republic of the Congo: UPR mid-term report

Democratic Republic of Congo

In preparation of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2024, Lawyers for Lawyers has written a mid-term report. In this report, we set out to what extent the DRC has implemented the recommendations

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10 November 2022

Defending the Rule of law in Türkiye – A PEN Norway and Lawyers for Lawyers event

Türkiye

Last Thursday, Lawyers for Lawyers and PEN Norway hosted an Event on Türkiye’s rule of law and the situation of lawyers in the country. With an enthusiastic audience, the event provided many interesting insights from first hand witnesses. On Thursday

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28 September 2022

Joint oral statement to Human Rights Council on Venezuela

Venezuela

On 26 September 2022, the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), The Law Society of England and Wales and Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) delivered an oral statement on the situation of human rights defenders in Venezuela.  The statement was

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