Lawyers at Risk

China

We joined five other organisations to express our concern about the sentencing of Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife, Xu Yan.

The couple are both prominent human rights defenders. Yu Wensheng has represented many victims of human rights abuses, including fellow lawyers targeted in mass arrests.

We urge the Chinese authorities to:

• release Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan
• take immediate measures to ensure they have access to adequate medical treatment
• ensure they have access to their family members and lawyers of their choosing
• stop all acts of intimidation and harassment against lawyers and their family members

Download our joint statement to the Chinese authorities (PDF 147 KB)

Algeria

The Law Society, Lawyers for Lawyers, SHOAA for Human Rights and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute issued a joint statement expressing our concern about the ongoing travel ban on human rights lawyer Mourad Zenati urging Algerian authorities to lift the travel ban and halt the harassment of Mr Zenati and any other members of the legal profession in Algeria.

We sent an intervention letter to authorities in August 2024 raising similar concerns, but no known action has been taken.

Download our joint statement to the Algerian authorities (PDF 192.4 KB)

Crimea

We issued a statement with seven other organisations condemning the violent raid on 7 November on the home of Crimean lawyers Lilia Hemedzhy and Rustem Kyamilev, which resulted in the arbitrary arrest and detention of Mr Kyamilev. The incident marks the latest in a pattern of harassment apparently aimed at pressuring them into ceasing their human rights work.

We called on the authorities to immediately release Mr Kyamilev; refrain from further harassment, persecution, or undue interference in the work of lawyers; and guarantee that all lawyers in Russia and territories under the effective control of the Russian Federation, including Crimea, can carry out their legitimate professional activities without fear of reprisals.

Download our joint statement (PDF 196.6 KB)

Turkey

We joined Lawyers for Lawyers, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute and the International Commission of Jurists to make a submission to the Universal Periodic Review on Turkey.

Our joint submission focuses on:

• the institutional independence of the legal profession
• restrictions on the right to a fair trial, including an effective defence
• the systematic persecution and interference with lawyer's activities

Download the joint submission (PDF 455 KB)

Turkey

We submitted a joint report on Turkey to the UN Human Rights Committee (PDF 484 KB) for its consideration of the Turkish government’s compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The report highlights our grave concerns over the systematic targeting of lawyers.

The report details the ongoing pattern of arbitrary arrest, detention and prosecution of lawyers, and interference with the independence of the judiciary.

China

We joined a statement on the ninth anniversary of the ‘709 crackdown’ in China (PDF 239 KB), which saw mass arrests and detention of lawyers and human rights defenders in 2015,

The statement details the torture, ill-treatment and unfair trials faced by detainees and highlights our ongoing concerns with the suppression of rights defence lawyers in the country.

Myanmar

We joined other organisations in making a statement to the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council (PDF 217 KB) condemning the human rights violations in Myanmar, including threats, harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention that lawyers face.

Belarus

We issued a joint statement to the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council (PDF 249 KB) to express our grave concern about the persecution of lawyers in Belarus.

Lawyers face retaliation for providing legal representation to political protesters and human rights defenders.

Egypt and Iran 

We have submitted reports, with partner organisations, on Egypt and Iran for the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR):

• stakeholder submission to the UPR of the Islamic Republic of Iran (PDF 407 KB)
• joint submission to the UPR of Egypt, 48th Session (Jan/Feb 2025) (PDF 296 KB)

These reports highlight grave concerns over the treatment of lawyers in Egypt and Iran.

This includes arbitrary arrest and detention, enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment.

Turkey

Together with our partner organisations, we have submitted a report to the UN Committee against Torture in advance of its consideration of Turkey’s periodic report in July.

Our submission highlights the declining independence and systematic targeting of lawyers in Turkey.

It provides information on the pattern of arbitrary arrest, detention and imprisonment of lawyers following unfair trials.

It also expresses grave concern about lawyers being subjected to torture while detained and the severe restrictions and poor conditions faced by lawyers in prison.

Read the full report (PDF 349 KB)

The Philippines

Between 4 and 13 June 2024, we took part in a fact-finding mission to the Philippines to examine the scores of attacks on lawyers, prosecutors, and judges since 2016.

The delegation gathered testimonies from judges and lawyers who have been targeted, as well as from family members of legal professionals who have been killed.

The mission has documented an alarming range of attacks against legal professionals, from harassment, intimidation, surveillance, threats, and red-tagging, to physical assault, arbitrary detention and prosecution, and extrajudicial killings.

These violations take place within a culture of impunity and a climate of fear.

Read the full statement (PDF 306 KB)

Namazov cases in Azerbaijan

Alongside the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre, the International Partnership for Human Rights, and the Independent Lawyers Network, we have lodged a submission under rule 9(2) of the Committee of Ministers' Rules for the Supervision of the Execution of Judgments in respect of the Namazov group of cases.

This submission includes recommendations aimed at the government of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Bar Association (ABA), covering:

• the disbarment of lawyers
• the inadequacy of legislative and other regulatory frameworks relating to the legal profession and the ABA's operation
• the violations of procedural guarantees of lawyers subject to disciplinary proceedings
• the need to strengthen the institutional independence of the ABA

Read the full submission (PDF 586 KB)

FCDO and Civil Societies Inquiry

We sent in a written submission to the International Development Committee's 'FCDO and Civil Societies Inquiry'.

Our response calls for the UK government to introduce a comprehensive strategy to enhance the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs) and strengthen civil society globally.

The response also raises concerns about the fact that the lawyers of HRDs are often HRDs themselves and carrying out their professional duties can come at great cost to their and their families’ lives.

Read the full submission

Algeria

We have issued a joint statement with Lawyers for Lawyers and SHOAA for Human Rights highlighting our concern about the escalation of arrests and prosecutions against lawyers for their work defending people involved in the Hirak movement in Algeria.

Azerbaijan

We submitted written information and gave oral evidence to the Committee against Torture, focusing on the lack of independence of the legal profession in Azerbaijan.

The report highlights, in particular, the criminal sanctions and disciplinary proceedings instituted against lawyers.

Myanmar

We joined a statement to the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council to express concern over the challenging environment for lawyers in Myanmar.

Due to a lack of independence of the judiciary, lawyers are facing closed-door proceedings and a lack of due process when conducting their work. Lawyers also face being threatened, harassed, arbitrarily arrested, and detained.

Afghanistan and Iran

Our evidence to the parliamentary ad-hoc inquiry into the Situation of Women and Girls in Afghanistan and Iran was repeatedly cited in its report titled 'Shattering Women's Rights, Shattering Lives'.

Our written report, focusing on the situation of women in the justice system in Afghanistan, summarises our grave concerns regarding:

• exclusion of women lawyers, prosecutors and judges
• systemic persecution of lawyers, prosecutors and judges
• access to justice for women

Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the Taliban have sought to effectively ban all women, including women lawyers, prosecutors, and judges, from participating in the legal system.

Lawyers, prosecutors, judges and other actors who worked in the legal system prior to the Taliban takeover, especially women, face serious and continuing threats to their lives.

Download the report (PDF 241 KB)

Belarus

At the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council we joined a statement expressing concern over the targeting of lawyers in Belarus.

The statement was delivered during the interactive dialogue with the UN High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Belarus.

The statement highlights that many lawyers have faced arbitrary detention due to their human rights work and exercising their freedom of expression and association.

One lawyer, Maksim Znak, has been arbitrarily detained since September 2020, and has been held incommunicado since 2022 – denied access to his family, lawyer, and independent medical personnel.

Afghanistan

We took part in the Universal Periodic Review Pre-Session for Afghanistan held on 15 February.

Marzia Babakarkhail, a former family court judge and advocate for Afghan women judges, spoke on our behalf on the collapse of the justice system and the systemic persecution of lawyers, prosecutors and judges in Afghanistan.

Read Marzia's full statement (PDF 111 KB)

Read the full presentation (PDF 333 KB)

Fact-finding mission to Turkey

A report of a fact-finding mission to Turkey, conducted by the Law Society as part of an international delegation of law societies and bar associations, highlights a pattern of intimidation and harassment of lawyers in Turkey.

The report details how lawyers have been arbitrarily arrested, detained, and imprisoned following unfair trials, due to their legal work - including clients they represent and professional bodies to which they belong.

The international delegation found that their conditions of detention violate internationally accepted standards for prisons, including the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

The lawyers have restricted access to family members and are held in isolating conditions. Disciplinary measures have also been applied to deny the lawyers’ early release.

This mistreatment of lawyers is a clear violation of Turkey’s legal obligations under international law and standards for the protection of lawyers.

Read the full report detailing the mission's findings (PDF 1.2 MB)

The Coalition for the Day of the Endangered Lawyer published a report on the situation facing lawyers in Iran.

The report explains the structural problems affecting the profession in Iran, highlights individuals at risk and makes recommendations for improvement.

We took part in the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council, held between 11 September to 13 October 2023, by issuing joint statements on:

• the deteriorating situation for female lawyers and human rights defenders in Afghanistan (PDF 200 KB)
• the systematic arbitrary detention of human rights lawyers and defenders in China (PDF 148 KB)
• systematic restrictions and repressive actions against human rights lawyers in Russia (PDF 173 KB)
• the harassment and targeting of lawyers in Myanmar (PDF 218 KB)

We also released a joint statement during the interactive dialogue with the working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances highlighting the risk of enforced disappearance for lawyers and human rights defenders globally.

We made a universal periodic review (UPR) report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Afghanistan, focusing on:

• the collapse of the legal system
• the laws and regulations undermining the independence of the legal profession, and
• the systemic persecution of lawyers, prosecutors and judges

Read our report (PDF 386 KB)

We released 4 joint statements to the UN Human Rights Council on:

• the Universal Periodic Review Outcomes of Guatemala
• the arbitrary arrest, detention and ill-treatment of lawyers in Iran for the Interactive Dialogue with the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran
• the ongoing pattern of arrests and attacks against lawyers and human rights defenders for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus
• the arbitrary arrest, detention and ill-treatment of lawyers in Myanmar for the Interactive Dialogue on the Written Update of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

We made a universal periodic review (UPR) report to the UN Human Rights Council on China, focusing on the lack of judicial independence, the laws and regulations undermining the independence of the legal profession, and the systemic persecution of lawyers.

• the continued arrests and harassment of lawyers in China and the Philippines
• the treatment of lawyers in China, the Philippines, Guatemala and Turkey
• the threats and murder of human rights lawyers and defenders in Colombia

In March, we released a statement on detained lawyers in Iran (PDF 135 KB).

We have also released four joint statements to UN Human Rights Council on:

• our grave concerns for members of the legal profession - particularly women - in Afghanistan (PDF 294 KB)
• our condemnation of the targeting of lawyers in Iran and the non-compliance with the right to a fair trial (PDF 313 KB)
• our condemnation of the lack of judicial independence and other fair trial guarantees, as well as criminal prosecution of human rights defenders, in Belarus (PDF 418 KB)
• our concerns at the persistent and pervasive attacks on the legal profession and legal institutions in Venezuela (PDF 198 KB)

We also made a universal periodic review (UPR) report to the UN Human Rights Council on Azerbaijan, focusing on lack of guarantees to exercise the legal profession independently and lack of compliance with European Court of Human Rights judgments.

At least 23 lawyers have been arrested and detained in the last month, in detention conditions that remain inadequate and inhuman. We are also alarmed by the many human rights defenders who have been arrested.

We called on the Iranian authorities to, inter alia:

• immediately and unconditionally release all lawyers and human rights defenders
• guarantee psychological and physical integrity
• ensure access to legal representation
• ensure respect for fair trial guarantees
• guarantee that lawyers and human rights defenders can carry out their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance or improper interference

Read our full statement on lawyers at risk and lack of access to legal representation in Iran (PDF 201 KB).

Read our evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Afghanistan

The UK Foreign Affairs Committee published a damning report – Missing in action: UK leadership and the withdrawal from Afghanistan – which repeatedly cites Law Society evidence on almost all points of concern mentioned.

We submitted evidence on Afghanistan to the committee in December 2021. It summarised:

• our activities regarding legal professionals at risk in Afghanistan
• our main concerns regarding UK government’s actions and policies in the aftermath of the Taliban’s capture of Kabul

Law Society activities

• Referring cases of legal professionals at risk to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) special cases unit
• Referring cases for alternative evacuation routes
• Carrying out advocacy before UK government departments (FCDO, Ministry of Justice and Home Office) on Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS), and visa/entry requirements
• Advocacy at the UN Human Rights Council and UN Special Procedures
• Engagement with media on ACRS delay and legal professionals at risk (The Observer; Radio 4 – Today programme)
• Coordination with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and foreign bar associations and law societies

Law Society concerns

• U-turn on the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)
• Delay to the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS)
• Possible U-turn on ACRS
• Lack of clarity on process of ACRS (including impossibility to apply or self-refer)
• Possible undue restrictiveness in requirements under ACRS
• Lack of immigration status and support for Afghan legal professionals who arrived in the UK
• Lack of direct engagement by FCDO with Afghan legal professionals at risk
• Lack of inter-departmental coordination on Afghanistan
• Lack of ambition in UK diplomacy on accountability for Taliban’s human rights violations

Download our evidence in full (PDF 182 KB)

Read our submission in a wiretapping case – Members of José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective (CCAJAR) v Colombia

In this case, the lawyers’ collective and former members of that collective argue that Colombia has violated their rights and their family members’ rights by, among other things, intercepting telephone conversations.

This is the first case in which the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) has an opportunity to establish and develop the principle of independence of the legal profession in its case law (understood as the ability of lawyers to practise their profession freely, without undue interference).

Read our amicus curiae submission in Spanish (PDF 485 KB)

Read a summary of our submission in English (PDF 201 KB)

Joint statements

We're alarmed by the demise of the rule of law in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s unlawful armed takeover of the country in August 2021 and its forcible takeover of the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association in November 2021.

We made a joint oral statement concerning the grave risks to jurists (particularly women) and the threats to Afghanistan's independent legal profession.

Events

International Fair Trial Day 2022

Everyone has the right to a fair trial. Each year in June, we join with international bar associations and human rights groups to celebrate International Fair Trial Day.

This year’s event focused on Egypt. It took place between 17 and 18 June 2022 in Palermo, Italy.

Find out more about the event

We made joint statements to the UN Human Rights Council concerning:

• continued human rights violations in Venezuela (PDF 172 KB)
• human rights violations in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath (PDF 281 KB)
• administration of justice in Afghanistan, including lack of access to legal assistance, fair trials, and remedies for victims of rights violations, particularly women, girls, and minorities (PDF 246 KB)
• ongoing human rights violations in Myanmar, intensified following the coup (PDF 362 KB)
• our call for the government of Tanzania to implement recommendations made in relation to the protection of human rights defenders, including lawyers (PDF 152 KB)