Preparations for UPR pre-session
By Karin Monster Next week – from March 30 to April 2, 2016 – the pre-sessions in preparation for the 25th Universal Periodic Review (UPR) will take place in Geneva. During these pre-sessions, which will be organized by UPR Info, representatives of the Permanent Missions, Human Rights Institutions and Civil Society Organizations will gather to […]
Decision to release 9 lawyers quashed
Lawyers for Lawyers was concerned to learn that on 22 March 2016, the 2nd Peace Judgeship quashed the decision of the Istanbul 1st Criminal Peace Judgeship to release 9 Turkish lawyers. New arrest warrants were ordered for four of the nine lawyers. The arrest and release of 9 Turkish lawyers In the early morning of […]
Arrested 9 lawyers released
Good news: All the nine lawyers who were arrested in Istanbul earlier this week, were released from pre-trial detention on Saturday 19 March 2016 by the decision of the interrogation judge. The lawyers will however still be prosecuted. Lawyers for Lawyers will continue to monitor the case closely. In the early morning of 16 March, police […]
Call upon the Council and States to ensure that the role of judges, lawyers and prosecutors receives heightened attention in the future UPR cycles.
Today, Lawyers for Lawyers, together with 6 other organizations, delivered an oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council. The organizations called upon the Council, as well as States, to ensure that the role of judges, lawyers and prosecutors receives heightened attention in the future Universal Periodic Review cycles. A recent report of the International […]
Police raid on and arrest of 9 lawyers
In the early morning of 16 March, police raided the houses of 9 lawyers in Istanbul, Turkey. After the search, lawyers Ramazan Demir, İrfan Arasan, Ayşe Acinikli, Hüseyin Boğatekin, Şefik Çelik, Adem Çalışçı, Ayşe Başar, Tamer Doğan and Mustafa Ruzgar were arrested They are all members of the Libertarian Lawyers Association (Ozgurlukcu Hukukcular Dernegi – OHD). […]
12 years since disappearance Somchai Neelapaijit
Twelve years after Thai human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaijipit went missing, there is still no prospect of justice. Somchai disappeared on 12 March 2004, one day after he had publicly accused the police of torturing his clients, who were in detention. Since then, nothing has been heard of him. Shortly after the disappearance of Somchai, […]
Appeal Intigam Aliyev rejected
On 24 February 2016, the Azerbaijan Supreme Court rejected the appeal of human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev. Aliyev himself did not attend the hearing. This was reported by the Human Rights House Network on their website. Intigam Aliyev is currently serving seven and a half years in the Kurdakhany detention facility, located outside Baku. He […]
Lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh released
After nearly five years in prison, human rights lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh was finally released on March 10, 2016. His release comes as a result of the implementation of the provisions of the amended Islamic Penal Code of 2013, under which prisoners tried on various charges and sentenced to several prison sentences should serve only the lengthiest sentence. Mohammad Seifzadeh was […]
Lawyers Connect2Protect visit the Netherlands
From 7 -12, March 2016, Justice and Peace, Lawyers for Lawyers and People with a Mission had organized a special edition of the ‘The Hague Training Course” (THTC) for more than twenty human rights defenders and lawyers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda, who are living in precarious conditions because of the work […]
Lawyer Jean Kisumbule Muteba shot dead
Lawyers for Lawyers is shocked by the death of lawyer Jean Kisumbule Muteba. On Saturday 20 February, Jean Kisumbule Muteba was shot outside his home in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Maitre Kisumbule Muteba was registered at the Bar Association of Kinshasa / Gombe. The motive and the circumstances of the crime are still unknown. We support […]
Prominent lawyer Khotso Nthontho arrested
Lawyers for Lawyers and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) are concerned about the arrest of lawyer Khotso Nthontho and the ongoing threats against lawyers in Lesotho. Particularly the lawyers representing 23 soldiers accused of plotting a mutiny seem to be at risk. The arrest and release of lawyer Khotso Nthontho Prominent Lesotho lawyer Khotso Nthontho […]
Trial against Intigam Aliyev
On 26 January 2016, Intigam Aliyev’s case was heard before the Supreme Court in Baku. Aliyev could not attend his appeal hearing due to health problems, but his lawyer, Javad Javadov, attended the hearing and requested his client’s acquittal. The hearing was postponed until 24 February because of the need to evaluate additional documents. Intigam […]
Criminal proceedings against Sirikan Charoensiri
Lawyers for Lawyers today called on the Thai authorities to immediately drop criminal proceedings against human rights lawyer Sirikan Charoensiri. On 2 February 2016, Sirikan Charoensiri received two summons to appear at the Chanasongkram Police Station on 9 February 2016 to be charged with two offences under the Criminal Code of Thailand: “giving false information […]
Lawyers continue to face improper interference
Lawyers in China continue to face improper interference in their professional work and serious violations of their rights. In January 2016, criminal prosecutions have been initiated against at least seven lawyers. All lawyers were arrested in July 2015 and have been held in secret detention for six months. The wave of arrests followed the disappearance […]
Arão Bula Tempo officially charged with ‘rebellion’
On 3 February 2016, Lawyers for Lawyers sent letters to the authorities of Angola to raise concerns about the official charging of human rights lawyer Arão Bula Tempo. Arão Bula Tempo is a human rights lawyer and President of the Provincial Council of the Angolan Bar Association in Cabinda. Since 1998, he has been actively […]
Court extends detention lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov
In January 2016, a court in Dushanbe has ruled to extend the detention of lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov by two months. The extension was allegedly necessary to allow for further investigation into his case. Buzurgmehr Yorov was arrested and detained on 28 September 2015. The authorities charged him with fraud related charges. At the time of […]