UAE Lawyers sentenced to 10 years in prison
On 2 July 2013, the Federal Supreme Court of United Arab Emirates (UAE) sentenced 56 people, including the prominent human rights lawyers Mohammed Al-Roken and Mohammed Al-Mansoori, to 10 years in prison. Mohamed al-Mansoori and Mohamed Abdullah al-Roken were arrested on 16 and 17 July 2012. Their lawyer Salem al-Shehhi was arrested on 18 July […]
Vietnam L4L writes to EU, Canadian, Australian and Japanese governments
Together with 11 NGO’s, L4L has sent a letter on 1 July 2013 to all Ministers of Foreign Affairs of EU-countries, Canada, Australia and Japan to request special attention to the unlawful arrest, detention and the upcoming trial of the prominent Vietnamese lawyer, blogger and human rights defender Mr. Le Quoc Quan. Furthermore, a letter was […]
Zimbabwe Film event with Beatrice Mtetwa
World Justice Project, Zimbabwe Watch, Amnesty International, and Lawyers for Lawyers, invite you to: Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law Meet one of Zimbabwe’s most courageous human rights lawyers Film screeningPanel Discussion with Beatrice Mtetwa Beatrice Mtetwa lives and works in Zimbabwe where despite unlawful detentions and beatings by the police, she continues to […]
Lawyers receive death threats
Two lawyers in Dagestan in the North Caucasus, Russia, have received death threats in connection with a criminal case they are working on. Sapiyat Magomedova and Musa Suslanov are criminal defence lawyers (advokaty) working in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, Russia. They have both received threats in connection with their work on a high-profile […]
Vietnam Letter to John Kerry for Le Quoc Quan
On 27 June 2013, L4L, together with a broad coalition of other NGO’s, requested the US Secretary of State John Kerry in a letter to take action to free the Vietnamese lawyer Mr. Le Quoc Quan. Kerry will attend the ASEAN conference later this month. The organisations have requested him to seize the opportunity to request the […]
Vietnam L4L files UPR submission
L4L has, together with Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) and the Law Society of England and Wales, filed a Submission for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Vietnam with the United Nations Human Rights Council. The situation for human rights lawyers in the Vietnam leaves a lot to be desired. L4L was able to make detailed recommendations, partially thanks to the […]
Iran New president, lawyer forgotten in prison
Whilst attention within Iran, as well as abroad, has recently focused on the presidential elections, Iranian human rights lawyer Javid Houtan Kian is being held in Tabriz prison under horrific circumstances. The lawyer, who became a well-known figure when he took on the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman sentenced to stoning for adultery, is the victim of […]
Turkey Another mass arrest of lawyers
Following widespread protests and police brutality in Turkey in the last two weeks, 45 lawyers were arrested in Istanbul on 11 June. The lawyers were taking part in a peaceful protest inside the Çağlayan Court, near Taksim Square, directed against the repression of the ‘Occupy Gezi’ protesters. The lawyers called upon the authorities to guarantee the free […]
Syria Health of detained lawyer Khalil Ma’touq critical
On 4 June, L4L has together with 18 other organisations asked attention for the situation of Khalil Ma’touq through a joint statement. This 54-year-old director of the Syrian Centre for Legal Studies and Research was arrested on 2 October 2012, together with his assistant Mohammed Thatha. The Syrian authorities deny that they are in detention, […]
L4L Magamed Abubakarov receives Lawyers for Lawyers Award
On 31 May 2013, Russian lawyer Magamed Abubakarov received the Lawyers for Lawyers Award. The award was handed over to him by Alec Muchadehama from Zimbabwe, who received the award two years ago. Magamed Abubakarov was praised by the jury for his “exceptional courage and persistence”. The prize is awarded to a lawyer or group […]
Cameroon L4L speaks to Michel Togué, defender of LGBT rights
On 20 May, L4L spoke to Michel Togué, a lawyer from Cameroon. He was in Amsterdam at the invitation of Human Rights Watch to share his experiences as a lawyer defending persons who are prosecuted by the Cameroon authorities for ‘homosexual behavior’. Gay hate is deeply rooted in the West-African country as a consequence of traditional […]
Colombia Report Caravana 2012 published
On 21 May, the report of the third visit of the Caravana de Juristas to Colombia in 2012, in which L4L participates together with Judges for Judges, was published. On the same day, the report was presented to the Colombian ambassador in the Netherlands, Mr. Eduardo Pizarro Leongómez. The Caravana is a biannual international delegation […]
Turkey Hearing Ümit Kocasakal adjourned to 12 October
The first hearing in the trial of İstanbul Bar Association head Ümit Kocasakal and nine other lawyers began at a Silivri court in İstanbul on 17 May. The trial was adjourned until 12 October due to the great number of people that had come to the courtroom. Among them was a delegation of L4L and […]
Syria Burhan al Sakkal dies in prison
L4L would like to ask your attention for the fate of Syrian lawyer Burhan al Sakkal. He died recently in prison, where he was held since October 2012 after his house was invaded by security service agents. Reportedly he was tortured during his imprisonment and he was denied necessary medical assistance. Furthermore, L4L wishes to draw attention to […]
Mexico Alba Cruz receives new threats
On 30 april 2013, Alba Cruz has received new threats. In a text message, she was referred to as ‘mami’. The senders wrote to let her know that they were not ready with her yet. It happened on the day that Peace Brigades International nominated Alba Cruz for the Premio de Derechos Humanos Gilberto Bosques, a human rights prize […]
L4L Magamed Abubakarov to receive Lawyers for Lawyers Award
Magamed Abubakarov, a Russian human rights lawyer specialized in terrorist cases in the North-Caucasus, will receive the Lawyers for Lawyers Award 2013. Magamed Abubakarov will accept the award on 31 May at the end of a seminar called ‘Lawyers controlled, independence at stake?’, which will be held at the offices of NautaDutilh (WTC) in Amsterdam. […]
