Publications
UN Human Rights Council: OHCHR report on grave human rights violations in Xinjiang can wait no longer | Joint oral statement
08/03/2022
Full joint statement (.docx) | See joint letter released 8 March 2022 See the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' Annual Update 8 March 2022. See Human Rights Watch video statement at 33:30 Joint statement: Item 2 General Debate on High Commissioner’s update OHCHR report on … [Read more...]
UN Human Rights Council: Pursuing Accountability and Justice in Sri Lanka | Oral video statement
07/03/2022
Full pdf statement See the debate on Sri Lanka beginning 4 March 2022. See video of continued debate 7 March 2022 (LRWC statement at 01:03:29) Organization: Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada Item: Item 2: Interactive Dialogue on the OHCHR report on Sri Lanka (HRC res. 46/2) Date: 3 March … [Read more...]
China: Arbitrarily detained lawyer Yu Wensheng released | Update
04/03/2022
Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada welcomes the news that Chinese human rights lawyer Mr. Yu Wensheng has been released from prison after completing a four year prison sentence for "inciting subversion of State power." He was reunited with his wife Ms. Xu Yan in Beijing. However, there are significant … [Read more...]
China: Yu Wensheng must be fully free on March 1st: No ‘non-release release’ from prison for Chinese human rights lawyer | Joint statement
16/02/2022
See the full statement in English or Chinese 余文生必须在3月1日获得完全的自由 中国维权律师的出狱不能是“伪释放” On 16 February 2022, LRWC joined a statement by ten human rights organizations, led by the International Service for Human Rights, urging China's government to ensure that lawyer Yu Wensheng is able … [Read more...]
South Sudan: Extend the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan | Joint letter to member and observer States of the UN Human Rights Council
11/02/2022
Full .pdf joint letter (EN) | (FR) UPDATE: Resolution extending the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, 1 April 2022 To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council 10 February 2022 Re: Extend the … [Read more...]
United Nations: 349 NGOs call for positive elections to UN body that opens doors to civil society
10/02/2022
Full pdf joint letter (EN) (FR) (ES) On 10 February, Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada joined a group of 349 national, regional and international NGOs calling for States to take NGO participation seriously and vote accordingly. In April, 2022, elections will be held to the UN Committee on … [Read more...]
Myanmar: Resist Myanmar’s digital coup: stop the military consolidating digital control | Joint Statement
08/02/2022
Full pdf statement (EN) One year ago, as the Myanmar military sent tanks down the streets and rounded up government officials and activists, it shut down the internet, mobile phone networks, radio, and television channels. As it plunged the country into a communications blackhole, the junta … [Read more...]
Canada: Gidimt’en land defenders made a submission to UN about ongoing rights violations by BC and Canada | Press release and submission
07/02/2022
See full .pdf submission to the UN (EN) Scroll down for the list of signatories and 26 endorsing organizations, including LRWC. Gidimt’en land defenders make submission to United Nations about ongoing rights violations by BC and Canada; Urge UN to visit Wet’suwet’en … [Read more...]
Myanmar: International brands must urgently cease production in Myanmar | Joint Statement
01/02/2022
See the list of signatories. International brands must act urgently and cease all production in Myanmar to weaken the military dictatorship and force it to step down On February 1st 2021, the military in Myanmar carried out a coup and arrested the elected government … [Read more...]
Catherine Morris | LRWC Transitional Executive Director June 2020 to January 2022 | Update
25/01/2022
Catherine Morris, BA (Alberta) 1974, JD (Alberta) 1978, LLM (UBC) 2001, was appointed Executive Director of Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada on 1 June 2020. Ms. Morris agreed to serve as Executive Director in a pro bono capacity during LRWC's transition from the longstanding leadership of its founder, … [Read more...]
