Iran: Temporary release of human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh | Updates
04/12/2020
UPDATE: On 1 December 2020, Nasrin Sotoudeh was ordered back to prison despite ongoing health concerns. UPDATE: In October 2020, a new film was released focusing on the work of Nasrin Sotoudeh. A virtual screening of the film is to be held Monday, November 30th at 12:00 pm EST, hosted by the … [Read more...]
Iran: Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Sent Back to Prison | Joint Statement
04/12/2020
Full PDF (ENG) We, the undersigned 26 Bar Associations, Law Societies, and organisations supporting the legal profession of over 14 countries, stand in solidarity with our Iranian colleague Nasrin Sotoudeh and other lawyers in Iran who are being persecuted by their Government for carrying … [Read more...]
United Nations Guidance Note: Protection and Promotion of Civic Space | Welcome Development
04/12/2020
UN_Guidance_Note (PDF) (UN Link to Guidance Note) | UN_Guidance_Note_Executive_Summary (PDF) (UN_Link to Executive Summary) Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada welcomes the launch of the UN Guidance Note on Protection and Promotion of Civic Space. The Guidance Note affirms the role and responsibility … [Read more...]
NGO Access to and at the United Nations in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic | Joint Statement
03/12/2020
FULL PDF (ENG) More than a hundred NGOs related to the United Nations, including Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada, have joined CoNGO—the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations—in a statement reaffirming the importance of NGO access to and at … [Read more...]
Turkey: 5th anniversary of extrajudicial killing of human rights lawyer Tahir Elçi: Effective investigation remains lacking | Joint Statement
27/11/2020
Full PDF (ENG) | Full PDF (TUR) The undersigned organisations have been following recent developments in the case involving the prosecution of police officers allegedly involved in the killing of human rights lawyer Tahir Elçi in November 2015. We are concerned that the prosecution, as … [Read more...]
Defending Defenders Around the World: An Invitation to join Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and support its work
24/11/2020
LRWC invites lawyers, law students and others to become members of Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and to support its work through donations LRWC members defend the rule of law and human rights advocates around the world The work done by LRWC is made possible by the pro bono work of members, … [Read more...]
Turkey: Lawyers Levent Pişkin, Cahit Kırkazak and Ayşe Batumlu acquitted | Welcome developments
20/11/2020
Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada welcomes news that on 18 November 2020 a Turkish court acquitted eleven people including lawyers Levent Pişkin, Cahit Kırkazak, and Ayşe Batumlu, on all charges of membership in a terrorist organization and terror propaganda. In July 2019, LRWC was among 17 … [Read more...]
China: Incommunicado detention of human rights lawyer Chang Weiping | Joint Statement
11/11/2020
Full PDF (ENG) Joint Statement on Chinese authorities placing Human Rights Lawyer Chang Weiping under ‘residential surveillance 9 November 2020 Chinese human rights lawyer Chang Weiping, whose certificate to practice law was suspended in January 2020, was detained by Baoji City Public … [Read more...]
Lawyers in Danger: Threats to Advocates Worldwide | The Advocate, November 2020
10/11/2020
This article was originally published in The Advocate, November 2020 edition | See the .pdf article The Advocate is published six times each year by the Vancouver Bar Association and is made available to all lawyers in British Columbia, Canada. NEWS FROM LAWYERS’ RIGHTS WATCH … [Read more...]
Thailand’s SLAPP suits against defenders: One acquittal and one case dropped | Update
03/11/2020
In Thailand, people who report human rights abuses are regularly subjected to criminal defamation charges. During the last week of October, 2020, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) welcomed developments in two of Thailand’s well-known cases of Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation … [Read more...]
