Political trials against lawyers and political activists in Turkey and other countries

ELDH will try to send observers to the following trials. These trials are observed by many lawyers from different organisations in Europe. Colleagues who wish to participate in the trial observation should get into contact with ELDH: Email ELDH Guide on Trial Observations UN Basic principles on the role of lawyers PEN Norway: The study …

Political trials against lawyers and political activists in Turkey and other countries

hier Termin und Ort eintragen ELDH will try to send observers to the following trials. These trials are observed by many lawyers from different organisations in Europe. Colleagues who wish to participate in the trial observation should get into contact with ELDH: ELDH Guide on Trial Observations UN Basic principles on the role of …

Presentation of Report on Attacks Against Legal Professionals in the Philippines | June 4, The Hague

Invitation – Presentation of Report on Attacks Against Legal Professionals in the Philippines | June 4, The Hague You are cordially invited to attend the official presentation of “Black Robes, Red Targets”, the report of the fact-finding mission on extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations against legal professionals in the Philippines (2016–2023).   Date: Wednesday, …

Democratic Lawyers Demand an End to the Proceedings against the El Hiblu 3

A delegation of lawyers from the Democratic Lawyers of Switzerland (DJS) and the EuropeanAssociation of Lawyers for Democracy & World Human Rights (ELDH) observed theverdict by the Maltese Court of Appeal on 22nd of January 2025 regarding the jurisdictionof the Maltese courts in the case against the so-called «El Hiblu 3». Nearly six years aftertheir …

Joint Statement on the Arrest and Detention of Lawyer Ruken Gülağacı – 21 May 2025

The undersigned bar associations and lawyers’ rights organisations express their deep concern over the detention of lawyer Ruken Gülağacı on 20 May 2025. On 21 May, the Criminal Peace Judgeship issued a house arrest order against Ms Gülağacı—an alarming escalation that further compounds our concern. Ms Gülağacı is a member of the Istanbul Bar Association …

Report on the observation of the Att. Bedirhan Sarsılmaz case, Istanbul, 6 May 2025

“There is nothing of substance in the case file”Report on the observation of the first and final hearing in the case against Att. Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, Istanbul, 6 May 2025 On 28 October 2024, Att. Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, who is a member of the lawyers’ association Özgürlük için Hukukçular Derneği (ÖHD, Association of Lawyers for Freedom), was …

International Fair Trial Day (IFTD), 14 June 2025 Focus Country: Tunisia

Save the Date for IFTD event: Thursday, 12 June 2025, Brussels Tunisia has experienced a significant decline in judicial independence in recent years. In February 2022, President Kais Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council (CSM), an independent body that appointed judges and monitored the judiciary. 1 President Saied replaced the CSM with a provisional judicial …

ELDH Statement on the Resumption of Military Operations in Gaza and the Collapse of the Ceasefire

The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH) condemns in the strongest terms the resumption of Israel’s devastating military assault on Gaza and the breakdown of the ceasefire. The renewed bombardments, which have already killed and maimed hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including hundreds of children, further compound the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe and …

Report – International Fair Trial Day and Ebru Timtik Award 2024, Philippines

On 14 June 2024, around 300 legal professionals, bar association representatives, academics, criminal justice experts, human rights advocates and journalists from around the world gathered online and in person in Manila, the Philippines to participate in the 2024 International Fair Trial Day and Ebru Timtik Award at the University of the Philippines College of Law.International …

Letter of solidarity with the Istanbul Bar Association

The Democratic Lawyers of Switzerland (DJS) and the European Association of Lawyersfor Democracy & World Human Rights (ELDH) strongly condemn the actions of the authoritiesof Turkey against the Istanbul Bar Association and its executive board. The criminalinvestigations, removal proceedings, and ongoing arbitrary detention of board memberFırat Epözdemir represent not legitimate legal measures but yet another …

Preliminary statement condemning the Turkish state for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Rojava

THE TURKISH STATE IS COMMITTING CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY President: PERMANENT PEOPLES’ TRIBUNAL Vicepresidents: Secretary General: Download the full statement This is the preliminary statement of the panel of judges of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal, 54th session, sitting in Brussels on 5 and 6 February 2025 to decide on the responsibility of senior Turkish officials for alleged …