Lawyer Li Yuhan arrested
On October 9, the 60-year-old Chinese human rights lawyer Li Yuhan disappeared. Li Yuhan informed her brother that day that the police took her to the Heping Sub-division of the Shenyang City Public Security Bureau. Later it became known that Li Yuhan was arrested for allegedly “picking quarrels and provoking troubles”. Li Yuhan is a […]
Joint letter to APEC leaders
On 11 and 12 November, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ meeting will take place in Da Nang, Vietnam. Prior to the meeting, a coalition of organizations, Lawyers for Lawyers amongst them, asked the attention of the APEC Leaders to the worsening human rights situation in the Vietnam. Vietnam is in the midst of an unprecedented crackdown […]
Interview with lawyer Ramazan Demir
Lawyer Ramazan Demir from Turkey, recently distinguished with the Human Rights Award 2017 by the International Bar Association (IBA), continues his fight. Despite the great personal risks he runs in the pursuit of his work: ,,I even expect to be indicted as a traitor soon. This happens nowadays to many who receive an award from abroad for their work in Turkey”, he says. Lawyers for Lawyers interviewed Ramazan: You defend anyone whose […]
Joint petition on persecution of lawyers and HRDs
On 23 October, Lawyers for Lawyers, alongside the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) and 130 other signatories, signed a petition to call on the Government of Tanzania to respect, promote, and protect legal practitioners and human rights defenders from all forms of threats, harassment and intimidation. The signatories observed that the Tanzanian authorities […]
Oral statement at Human Rights Committee
Lawyers for Lawyers delivered an oral statement to the United Nations Human Rights Committee about the situation of lawyers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This week, the Committee reviewed the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by the DRC. Earlier, Lawyers for Lawyers already submitted a report for this review. The statement […]
Call upon Vietnamese authorities to stop the crackdown against peaceful expression
A coalition of Vietnamese and international human rights organizations, Lawyers for Lawyers amongst them, called on the Vietnamese authorities to stop the crackdown against peaceful expression in the country. Vietnam is in the midst of an unprecedented political crackdown against peaceful expression. One of Vietnam’s most renowned human rights lawyers and bloggers, Nguyen Van Dai, has been […]
Ramazan Demir recipient of 2017 IBA Human Rights Award
Lawyers for Lawyers congratulates human rights lawyer Ramazan Demir on receiving the 2017 IBA Human Rights Award. He accepted the Award on Friday 13 October 2017 in Sydney at the International Bar Association (IBA) Conference. Lawyers for Lawyers nominated Ramazan Demir for the IBA Human Rights Award because we believe he is “a prominent and […]
Lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov arrested two years ago
Lawyers for Lawyers has grave concerns about the situation of lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov. Two years ago, on 28 September 2015, Yorov was arrested. Since then he has been imprisoned. Recently, Yorov’s family members have reported that he allegedly is being subjected to regular beatings – accompanied by threats, insults and harassment – by officials at […]
Zhu Shengwu’s licence revoked
Lawyer Zhu Shengwu from China was recently accused of making online speeches that “endangered state security”. Zhu has become the first ever lawyer to be forcefully stripped of his practising licence by administrative measure. This was reported by the China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group on their website. On 1 november 2016 the Chinese government […]
Arrest of lawyer Ibrahim Metwally
L4L has grave concerns about the abduction and incommunicado detention of Mr. Ibrahim Metwally Hegazy, human rights lawyer, Co-founder and Coordinator of the Association of the Families of the Disappeared in Egypt. L4L has sent a letter to the Egyptian authorities to express concerns, and call for the release of Ibrahim Metwally. On 10 September […]
Oral statement at UN Human Rights Council
On 21 September 2017, L4L delivered an oral statement during the 36th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. During this session, the Universal Periodic Review Outcome Report of Indonesia was adopted. Earlier, L4L had already submitted a NGO-submission for this UPR-session of Indonesia. The statement reads as follows: Lawyers for Lawyers welcomes Indonesia’s decision […]
Meesterlijke rally voor Lawyers for Lawyers
Ronkende en pruttelende motoren. Brullende en puffende uitlaten. Een hippe Eend, Fiatje 500 of een gestroomlijnde bolide met blinkend chroom. Het maakt niet uit waarin je rijdt – nou ja, het oog wil ook wat – het gaat bij de jaarlijkse Mr. Rally primair om het goede doel. En natuurlijk om de gezelligheid. De rally […]
HDIM 2017 Side event: Lawyers Need Legal Protections too
The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017 (HDIM) “Lawyers Need Legal Protections too: Human Rights Lawyers Working in Challenging Environments” Warsaw National Stadium (PGE Narodowy), Aleja Poniatowskiego 1, GATE 1, 2nd floor September 20, 2017, Room 1, 13:15-14:45 Refreshments will be provided Panel Speakers: Maria Slazak Moderator, Former President of CCBE Temur Shakirov Legal Adviser, […]
Lawyer Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla released
Lawyer Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla from Cameroon was released on 31 August 2017. A presidential decree of 30 August 2017, read on national public radio and television, ordered to drop all charges against the lawyer. A day later, the Military Tribunal of Yaounde confirmed the decision to release Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla. Agbor-Balla was arrested in January 2017 on suspicion […]
Trial against lawyer Jiang Tianyong
On 22 August 2017, the first hearing in the criminal case against 46-year-old human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong took place. The lawyer is accused of “subverting state power”. The maximum penalty: lifelong imprisonment. Jiang Tiangyong ‘confessed’ to the crime he was accused of during the hearing. In a video that was published by the court […]
MBBI Peace Conference
On 5 and 6 October, a two-day conference organized by Stichting Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) will take place in in the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. The two-day conference is all about sharing inclusive dialogues on MBBI’s mission “Keep people at the heart of conflict in charge”. For this, Stichting MBBI is […]