Iran: Escalating Crackdown on Lawyers
Iranian authorities have escalated their crackdown on lawyers, Human Rights Watch said today. Revolutionary courts have sentenced at least three lawyers to long prison terms for their human rights activism and security forces have arrested another one.
Turkey: Professional bodies submit concerns to UN
The already dire position of independent lawyers in Turkey is deteriorating with continuing persecution including arbitrary arrests and prosecutions, three legal professional bodies tell the UN’s human rights body.
War on Law Continues Three Years After “Black Friday”
Monday was the third anniversary of the beginning of the “709” or “Black Friday Crackdown,” in which hundreds of rights lawyers and others were detained. While most were swiftly released, others were accused, in a state media blitz featuring several televised forced confessions, of conspiring to hype and manipulate sensitive cases. Several were prosecuted and sentenced; one victim, lawyer Wang Quanzhang, remains […]
Iraq: Lawyers Arrested for Work in ISIS Courts
Iraqi authorities have issued arrest warrants for at least 15 private lawyers on charges of Islamic State affiliation for their past work in ISIS courts, Human Rights Watch said. Lawyers should not be prosecuted for doing their job as lawyer, nor should the authorities associate them with their clients’ cause simply because they represented them. […]
Iraq: Lawyers Arrested for Work in ISIS Courts
Iraqi authorities have issued arrest warrants for at least 15 private lawyers on charges of Islamic State affiliation for their past work in ISIS courts, Human Rights Watch said. Lawyers should not be prosecuted for doing their job as lawyer, nor should the authorities associate them with their clients’ cause simply because they represented them. […]
Rights groups ask govt to investigate alleged assault of lawyers on LHC premises
The Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists on Thursday called on Pakistani authorities to investigate the alleged assault of lawyers in the Lahore High Court premises earlier this week, an HRW press release said. The rights organisations reminded Pakistani authorities of their duty towards upholding international standards in court proceedings, […]
Rights groups ask govt to investigate alleged assault of lawyers on LHC premises
The Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists on Thursday called on Pakistani authorities to investigate the alleged assault of lawyers in the Lahore High Court premises earlier this week, an HRW press release said. The rights organisations reminded Pakistani authorities of their duty towards upholding international standards in court proceedings, […]
Pakistan: Investigate Assault on Lawyers
Pakistani authorities need to ensure a prompt, impartial, and effective investigation into a barrage of assaults and threats against lawyers in the premises of the Lahore High Court, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International said. Under international standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, Pakistan has […]
Pakistan: Investigate Assault on Lawyers
Pakistani authorities need to ensure a prompt, impartial, and effective investigation into a barrage of assaults and threats against lawyers in the premises of the Lahore High Court, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International said. Under international standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, Pakistan has […]
Sri Lanka: Minister Threatens Defender of Minority Rights
The Sri Lankan government should immediately repudiate statements by the country’s justice minister threatening to disbar a prominent lawyer for speaking out against attacks on religious minorities, Human Rights Watch said today. The incident highlights the government’s failure to fully investigate and prosecute recent attacks on Muslims and Christians in the Buddhist-majority country. On June 17, […]
Sri Lanka: Minister Threatens Defender of Minority Rights
The Sri Lankan government should immediately repudiate statements by the country’s justice minister threatening to disbar a prominent lawyer for speaking out against attacks on religious minorities, Human Rights Watch said today. The incident highlights the government’s failure to fully investigate and prosecute recent attacks on Muslims and Christians in the Buddhist-majority country. On June 17, […]
Torture Accounts Spur Fresh Criticism of Rule of Law
China has signed and ratified the UN convention against torture and signed the international covenant on civil and political rights. By detaining and disappearing these lawyers and law firm staff, China is in breach of its international obligations as well as Chinese domestic criminal law and constitutional principles. It is also violating the UN basic […]
Torture Accounts Spur Fresh Criticism of Rule of Law
China has signed and ratified the UN convention against torture and signed the international covenant on civil and political rights. By detaining and disappearing these lawyers and law firm staff, China is in breach of its international obligations as well as Chinese domestic criminal law and constitutional principles. It is also violating the UN basic […]
Malaysia – joint NGO letter on the propsed amandments to the Legal Profession Act 1976
They express their serious concern about the proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976. The amendments pose a serious threat to the independence of het Malaysian Bar, the right to freedom of association and threaten the environmental in which lawyers are able to freely speak out on matters of concern and public interest. They […]
Malaysia – joint NGO letter on the propsed amandments to the Legal Profession Act 1976
They express their serious concern about the proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976. The amendments pose a serious threat to the independence of het Malaysian Bar, the right to freedom of association and threaten the environmental in which lawyers are able to freely speak out on matters of concern and public interest. They […]
Tajikistan: Free Human Rights Lawyers
Tajik authorities should immediately and unconditionally release four human rights lawyers and two sons of another prominent lawyer who are imprisoned or detained on politically motivated charges, Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee stated on 4 May 2016. They refer to the UN basic principles, principles 16 and 18 in particular.
