Following the arrest of Reza Khandan at his home on Friday 13 December 2024, 24 organisations have jointly submitted an urgent request for action on behalf of the renowned Iranian human rights defender and husband of the lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. Read the letter

24 January 2025: 15th International Day for Lawyers in Danger, dedicated to Belarus 24 January 2025 marks the 15th International Day for Lawyers in Danger. Since 2009, this event, celebrated simultaneously in many cities around the world, has drawn attention to the threats faced by the legal profession. This year, the situation of lawyers in Belarus will be at the heart of this global mobilisation. These legal professionals, often on the front line in defending fundamental freedoms, face intimidation, arbitrary arrest, disbarment and even persecution for practising their profession. The Observatory calls on civil society and public authorities to mobilise in support of this essential cause. Together, let us make the voices of Lawyers in Danger heard and support their fight for justice. Join us to give this campaign maximum impact! In Belarus: At least 11 lawyers are being prosecuted for their legal practice 6 lawyers are currently in prison – one of them is being held incommunicado 4 lawyers were allegedly tortured during detention and interrogation At least 3 lawyers were allegedly forced to film so-called “confession” videos in which they were forced to confess to committing illegal acts. At least 139 lawyers have been deprived of their right […]

Paris, 3 December 2024 – The 2025 International Day for Lawyers in Danger highlights the plight of Belarusian lawyers, who have been in the grip of an authoritarian regime led by Alexander Lukashenko since 1994. Belarus’ political and legal framework is marked by severe repression of political opponents, journalists and lawyers, particularly those who defend human rights. The government in Belarus relies on the security forces to violently repress any form of dissent. As a result, lawyers, particularly those who defend political activists and opponents, face increased persecution. Victims of arbitrary arrests, disbarment and unjustified legal proceedings, lawyers specialising in the defence of human rights play a crucial role in the protection of fundamental freedoms. Many lawyers have been forced into exile. The Belarusian authorities do not hesitate to associate lawyers with their clients, labelling them enemies of the State. For its part, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice exercises strict control over the Bar, reducing its independence to nothing. Lawyers deemed undesirable can be arbitrarily disbarred, and independent lawyers’ associations are dissolved. The International Day for Lawyers in Danger 2025 calls on the international community, defence associations and citizens around the world to mobilise in support of Belarusian lawyers. It […]

The undersigned organizations vehemently condemn the detention of Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu, who is registered with the Adana Bar Association and a member of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), following a police raid on his residence and subsequent arrest at the Çukurova airport in Tarsus. On the morning of 26 November 2024, authorities executed a raid at Attorney Rişvanoğlu’s home without his presence, as he was traveling by plane. Subsequently, he was detained directly from the Çukurova airport upon his arrival. Notably, the raid was conducted without the presence or oversight of a prosecutor or representative from the Adana Bar Association and was only witnessed by a local community leader. A confidentiality order was promptly issued, and Attorney Rişvanoğlu was subjected to a 24-hour restriction on communication with his defense team, complicating his right to a fair defense. Attorney Rişvanoğlu’s health remains stable, and there have been no reports of mistreatment. However, the charges against him purportedly relate to membership of a ‘terrorist’ organization, and the circumstances surrounding his detention raise significant concerns regarding adherence to legal norms and human rights. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and European Convention on Human Rights, Turkey […]

Lawyers for Lawyers, the International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, the International Commission of Jurists, the Law Society of England and Wales, the Fédération des Barreaux d’Europe, Front Line Defenders, and the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk strongly condemn the violent raid on 7 November on the home of Crimean human rights defenders and lawyers Lilia Hemedzhy and Rustem Kyamilev, resulting in the arbitrary arrest and detention of Rustem Kyamilev. The incident marks the latest in a pattern of harassment apparently aimed at pressuring them into ceasing their human rights work. Read the full statement: