ELDH Supports Symbolic Disarmament and Democratic Transformation Led by the Kurdish Movement

Press Release – For Immediate Release Date: July 11, 2025, Location: Hasana Cave, Iraqi Kurdistan Download the statement The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH), represented by its Co-President Urko Aiartza, has participated as part of the international witness group at the symbolic destruction of arms ceremony held today in …

Joint Statement: Make the Right to Family Reunification Effective for Palestinian Refugees in Greece

We, the undersigned humanitarian and human rights organisations, call on the Greek government to urgently uphold its legal obligations and moral responsibility to ensure the right to family reunification is effective and accessible for recognized refugees.Our organisations provide legal and humanitarian assistance to refugees and migrants, including refugees attempting to reunify with family members in …

Report: The Caravana Filipina — a fact-finding mission on extrajudicial killings and other serious human rights violations against legal professionals in the Philippines between 2016 and 2023

The mission investigated numerous cases involving lawyers, judges, and prosecutors who were subjected to harassment, violence, or worse, for carrying out their professional duties. The Caravana was made possible by a remarkable coalition of 10 legal organizations from across the world: European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH), Associació Catalana per a la …

On the worsening catastrophe in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Legal Obligations of European countries, and the Urgent Need to secure an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and to ensure the urgent, unconditional and unimpeded resumption of aid, at scale, to the population of Gaza

The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH)with members in 23 European countries, expresses its  profound alarm at the ongoing failure of European governments and institutions to fulfil their obligations under international law in response to the catastrophic and deliberate starvation campaign being carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people in …

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 …

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 …