Convicted Catalan politicians – political solution necessary
Since the 2017 independence referendum there has been a criminalisation of Catalan pro-independence politicians and activists for sedition and related charges resulting in heavy prison sentences. In a politically biased trial Spain’s Supreme Court convicted 12 Catalan high ranking politicians for their roles in a 2017 secession bid. In a landmark ruling, nine politicians have…
LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATIONS DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF TURKISH LAWYER OYA ASLAN
To the president of Istanbul 37. Heavy Penal Court No: 2020/247 Düsseldorf, Barcelona, Vienna, Brussels. 11.01.2020 LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATIONS DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF TURKISH LAWYER OYA ASLAN We, the undersigned international lawyers’ associations, have for many years condemned the criminal prosecutions and investigations targeted against lawyers in Turkey and internationally for performing the duties of…
Serious concern over threats against members of the National Movement for Victims of State Crimes in Colombia (Movimiento Nacional de Víctimas de Crímenes de Estado, MOVICE)
ELDH letter in English ELDH letter in Spanish
JOINT STATEMENT – LAWYER NASRIN SOTOUDEH
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 out their profession diligently and in accordance with the law. On 13 June 2018,…
Joint Statement: Case concerning the killing of Tahir Elçi and lack of effective investigation into his death
Case concerning the killing of Tahir Elçi and lack of effective investigation into his death 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 well as…
The international community must ensure the exercise of the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination
Poland, Turkey, … – to leave the Istanbul Convention means to encourage violence against women
https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-laws-against-domestic-abuse-fail-to-protect-women/a-55717911 The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention), of May 2011, is an important legal instrument for the reduction of violence against women. Only 34 of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe have ratified the Istanbul Convention. Poland and Turkey were…
Appeal for donations:For lawyers who were victims of the earthquake in Izmir
On October 30, a severe earthquake hit the Turkish metropolis of Izmir. Over 2,000 buildings were either destroyed or damaged. 14 people lost their lives, including 3 lawyers*, more than 1,000 were injured. Temporary shelters were needed for over 6,000 people. Most of the destruction took place in the Bayrakli district, where the court building…
The judicial scandal has to come to an end – the imprisoned lawyers must be released
On November 11, the ÇHD I criminal case, which started in 2013, will continue at the 1st instance, before the 18th Heavy Penal Court in Istanbul. The victims of this long lasting trial are the accused 22 lawyers, all members of the Turkish Lawyers’ Organization ÇHD (Progressive Lawyers of Turkey) and all working in one…
ELDH statement on the new EU ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’
The Pact on Migration and Asylum published on 23 September 2020, provides a framework to facilitate and justify the obstruction of access to asylum procedures, unlawful returns and refoulement. Although labelled a ‘fresh start’,[1] it retains many highly contentious aspects of the old border policy including a discriminatory fast track border procedure, military and technological…