80 year old Haitham al-Maleh released
On 8 March 2011, 80 year old Syrian lawyer Haitham al-Maleh was released from prison after 1.5 year. He was detained since October 2009 and was convicted to a three year sentence on 7 July 2010 for allegedly ‘spreading false information that was damaging for the morale of the nation’, ‘weakening national sentiments’ and ‘slandering […]
Once more observers to Syria on behalf of L4L
On Tuesday 1 February 2011, Judith Lichtenberg and Gerrit Nieuwenhuis returned from Syria. They were to observe a disciplinary hearing against Radeef Moustafa and Abdel-Rahman Najjar in Aleppo on behalf of L4L and the Amsterdam and Dutch Bar Associations. Moustafa risks being disbarred for life because he – without permission from the bar association – […]
Warning BHC for reporting to UN Special Rapporteur
Two lawyers connected to the Minsk City Lawyers’ Association have been put under pressure by the Belarusian Ministry of Justice. They defend protesters who have been arrested after a demonstration on 19 December 2010. Pavel Sapelka received a letter warning him that he could be disbarred for having spoken publicly about his concerns with respect […]
Pressure on lawyers increases again
Lawyers Farshid Yadollahi and Amir Eslami were convicted to a six months prison sentence on Kish Island in southern Iran on 22 January. Around the same time, Mostafa Daneshjou was sentenced in appeal to seven months in prison in the northern province of Mazandaran. These lawyers represented dervishes, Sufi Muslims who choose to live in […]
Lawyer Alba Cruz Ramos repeatedly harassed
Mexican human rights lawyer Alba Cruz Ramos has received new threats. The threats are part of a pattern of death threats and harassment against her in an attempt to stop her from defending victims of torture and unfounded prosecution in Oaxaca State. Her life could be at risk. Alba works together with other lawyers and […]
Several lawyers arrested during disturbances
The disturbances that have occurred in Tunisia since mid-December 2010 have left many people killed, injured or in detention. Through a though repression, the authorities tried to suppress the many protests in the country. After former president Ben Ali left the country in the afternoon of Friday 14 January, power was eventually assumed by the […]
Nasrin Sotoudeh convicted to 11 year prison sentence
The Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been in detention since September 2010, has been convicted to an 11 year prison sentence on 9 January 2011. Furthermore, she will be banned from practicing law and travelling abroad for a period of 20 years. She received 5 years for allegedly undermining national security, another 5 years […]
Radeef Moustafa may be disbarred in disciplinary procedure
On 19 December 2010, Radeef Moustafa was interrogated in the framework of a disciplinary procedure against him that was started on the initiative of the Syrian Bar Association. Moustafa is charged with, among other things, “membership to an illegal organization”, “actions against the Syrian government” through Mr. Radeef Moustafa’s human rights work and his publications […]
Threats addressed at lawyers
On 13 October 2010, Leonardo Jaimes Marín was informed that a murder attempt would be directed at him. He defends family members of victims of extrajudicial executions. In such cases, civilians are murdered by military groups, who report the incident subsequently as a ‘death due to military confrontation’. On 28 March 2008, 3 men were […]
Human Rights Council discusses Universal Periodic Review
At the end of January 2011, the tenth session of the working group Universal Periodic Review (UPR) took place in Geneva. The UPR reviews the extent to which each UN member complies with the UN Human Rights treaties once every four years. One of the countries that were reviewed during the tenth session was Nepal. […]
Lawyers fight for their prosecuted colleagues
The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) published an interview with the Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi on the occasion of Human Rights Day, Friday 10 December 2010. In the conversation, she clarifies the problems for human rights lawyers in Iran. “The biggest challenge is that the Iranian government does not want to comply with its […]
One year since Maguindanao massacre
To secure an election victory, a local Filipino political leader on November 23 2009, had murdered at least 56 people, including journalists, lawyers and relatives of his alleged opponent. Among them was the lawyer Connie Brizuela. At an Amnesty International meeting on 24 November 2010 this was commemorated. L4L spoke about the impunity with regards […]
Five more lawyers arrested by authorities
On Saturday 13 November 2010, Iranian lawyers Sara Sabaghian, Maryam Kiyan Ersi and Maryam Karbasi were arrested. Several Iranian websites report that security service agents arrested them on the Tehran airport when their plane from Antalya (Turkey) had just landed. Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi confirmed the arrests and stated that the three lawyers were arrested […]
Shadi Sadr receives another human rights prize
On 11 November 2010, Iranian lawyer Shadi Sadr received the Alexander Law Prize at the Californian Santa Clara University. This annual prize is awarded to lawyers who “have used their legal careers to help alleviate injustice and inequity.” The jury praised Sadr for her ceaseless dedication, courage and self-sacrifice. Earlier this year, she received the […]
Kurdish lawyer Mustafa Ismail convicted to 2.5 years
Syrian lawyer Mustafa Ismail, who was arrested on 12 December 2009, was convicted to a 7 year prison sentence on 7 November 2010. Fortunately, the sentence was reduced to 2.5 years on the basis of articles 267 and 278 of the Syrian Penal Code. Still, Ismail should not have been convicted at all, for the […]
Lawyer Seifzadeh sentenced to nine years
On 30 October 2010, the court in Tehran convicted the Iranian lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh to nine years imprisonment. He was also prohibited to practice law for the duration of ten years. As lawyer, Seifzadah stood by many victims of human rights violations. The indictment, however, revolves around the establishment of the Defenders of Human Rights […]