Joint Statement – International Fair Trial Day – 14 June 2021
Today, 14 June 2021, marks the inaugural International Fair Trial Day (IFTD) which will beobserved for the first time worldwide. The focus country of the IFTD this year is Turkey, a countrythat is and has been suffering for many years, from systemic human rights violations and a seriouslack of fair trial standards. On the occasion…
Statement against war crimes committed in Palestine and Israel
The European Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH), with members in 21 European countries, expresses its grave concern at the latest outbreak of violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). As a result of the violence so far, at least 230 Palestinians have been killed, including 65 children, in Gaza, by Israeli…
JUSTICE FOR EL HIBLU 3 – A reminder of the second anniversary of the rescue and subsequent detention of young migrants called El Hiblu 3
In Malta, three young migrants risk life imprisonment for having helped fellow asylum seekers to escape and be rescued from the serious risk of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, rape, exploitation and killings in refugee camps in Libya. On 28 March 2019 a cargo ship called El Hiblu 1 rescued over 100 migrants, including 20…
Threat of HDP ban: European lawyers demand credible EU response
Download PDF A few days ago Turkey’s Chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court filed an indictment seeking dissolution of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). The indictment accuses HDP leaders and members „of acting in a way that flouts the democratic and international rules of law, colluding with the terrorist PKK and affiliated groups, and…
Women’s rights are human rights – change for a feminist future – Statement of ELDH on the International Women’s Day
Roughly one year into a devastating global health crisis, it became more obvious than ever how gender is an important factor when it comes to the access to human rights. In the face of the ongoing gender related injustice, ELDH celebrates the feminist struggle of lawyers and human rights activists who continue to work for…
Next hearing in the criminal trial of those accused of killing lawyer Tahir Elçi – letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Quick Response Desk Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations Office at Geneva 8-14 Avenue de la Paix CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland E-mail: 2 March2021 FOR THE ATTENTION OF:•Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers •Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defendersSpecial Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary…
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,…