International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk
Equatorial Guinea: arbitrary detention of lawyer Anacleto Micha Ndong Nlang after allegations of torture
Equatorial Guinea: Ángel Obama Obiang Eseng suspended after harassment
GUATEMALA: INTERPOL refuses Guatemalan Public Prosecutor’s Office activation of Red Notice for arrest of lawyer Ramón Cadena
Rwanda: On his way to Kirehe to represent one of his clients, Barton Mathias Matimbano has not been heard from since. He has been missing since 10 October 2024, and his car is also missing.
Iran: Mohammadreza Faghihi is an Iranian human rights lawyer. He was sentenced to five years in prison for taking part in a lawful and peaceful demonstration on 12 October 2022.
Turkey: The International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger endorses the recent resolution adopted by the Paris Bar Council, expressing its solidarity with Turkish lawyer Dilek Ekmekci. The lawyer is facing repressive measures aimed at silencing her.
Azerbaijan: Fariz Namazli is an Azeri lawyer specialising in the defence of human rights. His practice focuses on litigation before national courts and the European Court of Human Rights. His defence of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience has led to harassment from the authorities and an attack on the exercise of his profession.
Belarus: A raid was reportedly carried out at the home of Maryia Kolesova-Hudzilina, lawyer and President of the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers.
Uzbekistan: Dauletmurat Tajimuratov is a lawyer and human rights defender. He advocates for the protection of the rights of the Karakalpak people and for the protection of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan.
RUSSIA: Alexei Liptser, Igor Sergounine and Vadim Kobzev, arrested in October 2023, face up to six years in prison for “providing information to their client in order to prepare extremist crimes”. These charges are obviously linked to their defence of the most prominent opponent of Vladimir Putin’s regime, who died in prison last February.
NICARAGUA: human rights lawyer Leyla Carolina Prado forced into exile for defending political prisoners
TUNISIA: Lawyer Sonia Dahmani was sentenced on appeal by the Tunisian courts
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Lawyer Mushibi Kabwende Fabu assaulted and tortured
Lebanon: Mohamad Sablouh was banned from entering Beirut’s military court for three months after criticising a judicial decision he considered unfair on Facebook. He has appealed against this ban to the Military Court of Cassation.
Occupied Crimea/Russia: Human rights lawyer Aleksey Ladin was disbarred from the Tyumen Regional Bar on 25 July 2024 for “violating the Code of Ethics of the Russian Bar”. This disbarment was the result of accusations made against him in October 2023, in response to his commitment to human rights in Crimea under Russian occupation.
IRAN: Mohammad Seifzadeh sentenced to prison by the Iranian judiciary
Turkey: On 2 July 2024, lawyers Naim Eminoğlu and Doğa İncesu were arrested following a raid on their homes. The two lawyers, both members of the Association of Progressive Lawyers (“ÇHD”) in Turkey, were due to appear in court for a hearing on 2 July and were taken into custody by the Turkish authorities.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Lawyer Gemma Jones disbarred for two years
Tunisia: Mahdi Zagrouba was arrested on Monday 13 May at the Lawyers’ House in Tunis. This followed the arrest of his colleague, Sonia Dahmani, two days earlier.
TUNISIA: Lawyer Noureddine Bhiri rushed to hospital after 15-day hunger strike in prison
CHINA: The Observatory denounces the disappearance of the lawyer Tang Jitian, his arbitrary detention incommunicado in a secret location, the silence of the Chinese authorities and the censorship imposed on this arbitrary detention by the Chinese authorities
Crimea: Emil Kurbedinov is a Crimean human rights lawyer.The winner of the 2017 Front Line Defenders award is particularly active in the defence of human rights in Russian-occupied Crimea. On 15 February 2024, he was targeted by the Russian de-facto authorities for a post deemed to “[abuse] the freedom of mass information.”
Russia: Bakhrom Khamroev is a Russian lawyer and human rights activist. He is a member of the Human Rights Centre “Memorial” and is on the Russian government’s list of political opponents. Repeatedly targeted by the authorities, he is now subjected to ill-treatment in detention.
Angola: The International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger is worried about the situation of Angolan lawyer Zola Ferreira Bambi. Involved in the defence of human rights for more than 10 years, he has been the victim of harassment by the Angolan authorities.
Russia: On Friday 16 February, the Russian authorities announced that Alexei Navalny, the leading political opponent of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, had died in prison. The lawyer and political activist had been sentenced several times, most recently in August 2023 to a 19-year prison term for “extremism”.
Palestine: On 19 January 2024, Diala Ayesh was arrested by Israeli forces in Bethlehem. Currently in administrative detention for unknown reasons since 23 January 2024, she is being held in conditions that are inappropriate and incompatible with international standards on deprivation of liberty.
COLOMBIA: Sir Henry Brooke 2024 prize awarded to lawyer Adil Meléndez, who denounces the withdrawal of protection measures
Iran: Kurdish lawyer Golaheh Vatandoust sentenced to over six years in prison by the Islamic Republic of Iran
Burkina Faso: Between Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 January 2024, Guy Hervé Kam was arrested by a group of undercover men at Ouagadougou airport, who then took him away in an unmarked car.
COLOMBIA: Lawyer Yessika Hoyos faces new threats
GUATEMALA: Hearing of lawyer Claudia Gonzalez suspended
China: Ding Jiaxi is a Chinese lawyer and defender of human rights and democracy. As a member of the “New Citizens Movement”, Mr Jiaxi had taken part in an informal meeting with civil rights activists and lawyers on the state of civil society in China. He was arrested in 2019 by the Chinese authorities and subsequently placed in incommunicado detention.
Iran: Arash Keykhosravi, an Iranian lawyer and fierce defender of human rights, has been facing prolonged detention since 25 September 2023. He was sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on charges of “propaganda activities against the State”. Known for his commitment to human rights and environmental protection, Keykhosravi has become a recurring target of repression by the Iranian authorities.
IRAN: Arrested and interrogated on arrival at Tehran airport, lawyer Saleh Nikbakht faces imprisonment for practising law
The First Section of the Revolutionary Court has sentenced Khosrow Alikordi to one year’s imprisonment, two years’ exile, a two-year travel ban, a two-year ban on practising as a lawyer, and a two-year ban on appearing on the Internet.
The Observatory expresses its deep concern regarding the situation of Maksim Znak, who has been arbitrarily detained for 3 years.
COLOMBIA: Harassment, persecution and attacks against lawyer German Romero in the course of his work
Iran: Nasser Sargaran, a prominent human rights lawyer and academic, was arrested by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Intelligence Department in Saqqez.
Russia: Magomed Alamov, a human rights lawyer and member of Crew Against Torture, has received death threats, along with his family, from the relatives of a young woman who had benefited from the organisation’s assistance.
Iran: Repeatedly subjected to relentless harassment by the Iranian government, Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, winner of the Ludovic Trarieux prize in 2018, was arrested and severely beaten while attending the funeral of Armita Garavand, who died following her arrest for “not wearing a headscarf”.
Haiti: Three lawyers identified as representing Joseph Félix Badio have been placed in detention following the recent arrest of their client for his alleged involvement in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
Turkey : The Turkish authorities have conducted searches and arrested at least 20 people, including 3 ÇHD lawyers, following an anonymous tip-off.
China: lawyer Li Yuhan arbitrarily detained in dreadful conditions
ZIMBABWE: Two lawyers arrested for obstruction of justice
PHILIPPINES : Human rights lawyer Maria Saniata Liwliwa Alzate was murdered on Thursday 14 September 2023 in Bangued, Abra, Philippines.
SUDAN : Sudanese human rights lawyers Mohammed Ahmed Kudia, Khamis Arabab and Khidir Sulieman Abdelmageed were murdered between 28 May and 11 June in Darfur.
IRAN : Maryam Arvin, an Iranian lawyer and fervent defender of the rights of women who were victims of discrimination, died two months after her release from prison. She had been pursuing a doctorate in law since the age of 28, after obtaining her bachelor’s degree three years earlier.
SENEGAL : Between Friday 4 August and Saturday 5 August, several of Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers were arrested. These arrests are linked to the public appearance of French lawyer Juan Branco at a press conference in Dakar on 30 July, after he had entered Senegal illegally.
MEXICO: Lawyer Oscar Zamudio Campos facing harassment and criminal proceedings for his professional activities.
RUSSIA: The Observatory strongly condemns the violent attacks against lawyers in the Russian Federation and demands an impartial investigation.
SENEGAL: The OIAD condemns intimidation and violence against lawyers in Senegal and strongly denounces restrictions on the exercise of the profession
Democratic Republic of Congo: The Observatory condemns the death in prison of lawyer Banzu Misongo Effremel and calls on the Congolese authorities to carry out a thorough investigation
IRAN: The Observatory condemns the sentencing of Iranian lawyer Farzaneh Zilabi to 18 months in prison and calls for all other charges against her to be dropped.
MOROCCO: The former president of the Rabat Bar Association and Moroccan Minister of Human Rights, Mohamed Ziane, imprisoned after a summary trial in absentia
BELARUS: The Observatory denounces the decision to sentence Belarusian lawyer Aliaksandr Danilevich to 10 years’ imprisonment for criticising the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
TURKEY: Kurdish human rights lawyer Kurtulus Bastimar subjected to persecution and defamatory campaigns.
COLOMBIA: The Observatory condemns the new attacks against human rights lawyer Soraya Gutierrez Argüello, who was recently the victim of a break-in and attempted robbery at her home
TURKEY: The Observatory strongly denounces the arrest of 25 male and female lawyers and the searches of their personal and professional homes as well as the office of the lawyers’ association ÖHD.
HAITI: Assassination of lawyer André Charleus
THE OBSERVATORY CONDEMNS ATTEMPTED BREAK-INS AT THE HOME OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BAR OF GABON, RAYMOND OBAME
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: The Observatory demands the immediate release of the Honorary President of the North Kivu Bar Association, Joseph Sanane Chiko, arbitrarily detained in Goma and recently transferred to Kinshasa
SINGAPORE: Persecutions against the lawyer Ravi Madasamy, engaged in the defence of Malaysian death row inmates.
IRAN: Iranian lawyer Mohammad Najafi imprisoned on false charges and banned from medical care
ESWATINI: Liswati lawyer Maxwell Nkambule was the victim of an assassination attempt because of his defense of pro-democracy activists
BANGLADESH: Environmental lawyer and human rights defender Syeda Rizwana Hasan and her team have been harassed and threatened
IRAN: Reza Khandan, human rights defender and husband of Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh summoned to prison
Mexico: Three break-ins in less than 15 days at the home of environmental lawyer Juan Carlos Flores Solís
TURKEY: The Observatory condemns the serious threats against the president of the Diyarbakir Bar and the disclosure, with impunity, of his personal and family information on social networks
Azerbaijan: Lawyer Elchin Sadigov is under preventive measure of house arrest and charged with “complicity in brive-taking”, with the risk of a 12-year prison sentence
VENEZUELA: Human rights lawyer Venus Faddoul has been publicly accused, threatened and harassed for her work
VENEZUELA: Lawyer Jecson Ricardo Cariel Garcia arbitrarily detained since August 5th, 2022
COLOMBIA: Lawyer Carlos Enrique Maldonado, victim of serious and worrying stigmatisation for defending peasant communities affected by the armed conflict
BANGLADESH: Human rights lawyer Shahanur Islam assaulted in court.
VENEZUELA: Human rights lawyer Engels Wladimir Puertas victim of arbitrary detention, torture, serious threats and criminalisation of his work
Haiti: Robinson Pierre-Louis, lawyer and general secretary of the Federation of Haitian Bars, has been arrested
Iran: The iranian lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah has been arrested and sent to prison to serve a sentence that was handed down more than ten years ago
COLOMBIA:Human rights lawyer Andrea Torres Bautista, a has been victim of kidnapping, serious threats and gender-based violence, as well as the theft of sensitive information in a cyber attack 4 July 2022 Andrea Torres Bautista is a human rights lawyer, legal coordinator and deputy director of the Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation (FNEB). FNEB is an organisation composed mainly of women relatives of victims, and has been a major actor in the legal representation, visibility and support for victims of enforced disappearance, sexual violence and police abuse in Colombia. Andrea Torres represents victims in different cases, both in the ordinary justice system and in the transitional justice system (JEP), in which the main defendants are members of the Colombian armed forces. The Observatory has received information about serious threats against lawyer Andrea Torres Bautista. On 21 May, the lawyer was kidnapped, physically assaulted and had all her belongings stolen. According to the lawyer, the events occurred while she and her husband were returning home by taxi. Exceptionally, the lawyer was not in the presence of her bodyguards from the National Protection Unit (UNP). During the attack, carried out by four men, the human rights defender and her husband were physically and […]
COLOMBIA: Human rights lawyer María Alejandra Garzón Mora has been subjected to serious threats, cyber-attacks, surveillance and verbal attacks
Guatemala: The Observatory denounces the judicial harassment suffered by Claudia Paz y Paz.
Mexico: The Observatory condemns the murder of women’s rights lawyer Cecilia Monzón
Colombia: The Observatory condemns the harassment of lawyer Luz Estella Romero Villalba and her family 4 May 2022 Luz Estella Romero Villalba is under severe attack for her work as a human rights lawyer in Colombia. The harassment is directed against her and in particular against her family, having suffered an attempt to forcibly disappear her son. Luz Estella Romero Villalba is an ecofeminist human rights lawyer in Colombia, where she represents and coordinates the Asociación Colectivo Mujeres al Derecho (COLEMAD). COLEMAD focuses its work on the promotion, respect and defence of the human rights of women, girls, youth and marginalised communities, as well as on environmental and territorial issues. As of 2019, COLEMAD has consultative status with the United Nations. With regard to legal cases, COLEMAD carries out strategic litigation by accompanying organisations and women’s groups that are victims of the armed conflict before ordinary courts (criminal and administrative), courts such as Justice and Peace (Law 975), a special court for land restitution and an administrative mechanism for collective reparation (Law 1448), and a special court for Peace-JEP (Final Peace Agreement between the government and the FARC-EP). As a result of her defence work, between December 2019 and today, […]
Guatemala: Criminalisation and hindrance of former members of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) legal practice
Mexico: The Observatory condemns the murder of lawyer and indigenous rights defender Patricia Rivera Reyes
Tunisia: criminal investigation against the lawyer and former president of the Tunisian Bar Association Abderrazak Kilani, the Observatory expresses its concern.
China: The Observatory calls on the Chinese authorities to ensure the full and unconditional release of lawyer Yu Wensheng
Mexico: The Observatory calls on the Mexican authorities to ensure an effective, diligent and thorough investigation into the situation of Ms. Guerrero.
HONDURAS: “Justicia para los Pueblos” law firm denounces intimidation in the trial of the Guapinol Defenders’ case The Honduran law firm “Justicia para los Pueblos” is specialised in the legal assistance of peasant and indigenous populations in Honduras. The law firm has been representing for more than XX years, environmental defenders and peasants who have seen their rights violated by the state or by the management of macro energy projects. The law firm “Justicia para los Pueblos” filed a complaint before the National Human Rights Commissioner of Honduras (CONADEH) on Monday 24 January, alleging intimidation of the legal defence team by armed men inside the courts of Tocoa, in the department of Colón, where the trial of the 8 environmental activists detained in the “Guapinol” case is being held. This complaint, presented by lawyers, Carlo Jiménez, Mario Rojas and Kenia Oliva, described two armed men who, without identifying themselves at any time entered with the public prosecutor. When asked to identify these armed men, the public prosecutor stated that they were protecting an expert and the Public Prosecutor’s Office itself. The prosecutor refused to reveal the identity or security affiliation of these individuals. This incursion is not only irregular but […]
Lawyer Akum Michael Nche was abducted in Bamenda by unidentified gunmen on Saturday 15 January 2022.
Nicaragua: Nicaraguan lawyer José Arnulfo López Cruz is forced into exile to avoid arrest for his legal defence of political prisoners.
Nicaragua: Lawyer Eilyn Margarita Cruz Rojas into forced exile
Chawki Tabib, lawyer at the Tunis Bar, former President of the Tunis Bar Association and President of the National Authority for the Fight against Corruption, placed under house arrest.
The election of lawyer Firmin Yangambi to the Bar of the Tshopo region arbitrarily cancelled
Afghan lawyer Latifa Sharifi, a member of the Hawca association, whose main aim is to protect women’s rights, has already received several open death threats in the past. On 15 August, she tried to leave Afghanistan but was turned away at Kabul airport.
Egyptian human rights lawyer Mohammed El-Baqer continues to be arbitrarily detained in miserable conditions.
Philippines: Human rights lawyer and activist Czarina Musni openly threatened, persecuted and harassed
ALGERIA: Arrest and detention of lawyer Abderraouf Arslane
LEBANON: Arrest and arbitrary detention of lawyer Rami Alleik
Colombia: Arbitrary detention of lawyer Johan Sebastián Moreno Castro and possible criminalization
El Salvador: New attempt to criminalize lawyer Bertha María Deleón’s work
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