ATTACKING DEFENDERS: The Criminalization of Human Rights Advocacy | now available at CanLII

Free .pdf download | Now available on CanLii Foreword by Michel Forst Press release Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada is pleased to announce that ATTACKING DEFENDERS: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY A guide to international law rights of human rights defenders is now available on … [Read more...]

Cambodia: Lack of independent courts and misuse of laws to crackdown on dissenters | Oral video statement to UN Human Rights Council

Full PDF (ENG) See video recording  of LRWC statement See the full Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapport on Human Rights in Cambodia Video Intervention: Check against delivery Organization: Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada Item: Item 10: Interactive Dialogue, Special Rapporteur on … [Read more...]

Yemen conflict: Cease arms transfers by Canada, France, Iran, US & UK | Oral video statement to UN Human Rights Council

Full text of the oral video statement (.pdf) (ENG) Full oral video statement Full Interactive Dialogue with the Group of Experts on Yemen Video Intervention: Check against delivery  Organization: Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada Item: Item 2: Interactive Dialogue, Group of Experts on … [Read more...]

Global Call for the UN to Recognize the Right to a Healthy Environment | Joint letter

Full joint letter (pdf) | See the signatories LRWC was among the signatories of a joint letter to the UN Human Rights Council seeking recognition of the human right of all to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Included in the letter was a concern about protection of … [Read more...]

Turkey: Mass arrest of lawyers in Ankara, Turkey | Joint Statement

Full PDF (ENG) Joint Statement on the Arrest of 48 Lawyers and 7 Intern Lawyers in Ankara, Turkey Through the new “alternative bar associations” legislation and President Erdogan’s own words “Those who act as the lawyers of terrorists may not act like terrorists themselves. If they do so, … [Read more...]

Turkey: Lawyer Aytaç Ünsal ends hunger strike after Supreme Court releases him from prison | Update

LRWC has been advised that Turkish lawyer Aytaç Ünsal called off his hunger strike on 4 September following a stay of his detention order until he has recovered. The order was granted by Turkey's Supreme Court on 3 September due to his state of health. His treatment by independent physicians has … [Read more...]

Turkey: Lawyer Ebru Timtik has died while fasting to demand a fair trial | Update

Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada is deeply saddened by the death of Turkish lawyer Ms. Ebru Timtik on 27 August 2020 after 238 days of fasting to strengthen her demand for a fair trial for herself and hundreds of other Turkish lawyers detained for lawfully performing their roles as lawyers. Ebru … [Read more...]

Canada: Federal Court invalidates Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement saying its impact “shocks the conscience” | Update

UPDATE: 21 August 2020: LRWC is disappointed that Canada's federal government has chosen to appeal the 23 July 2020 Federal Court of Canada ruling that the Canada-US does not measure up to Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair issued a statement on Friday 21 … [Read more...]

Turkey: Urgent letter to UN Special Procedures on arbitrary detention of lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal, currently near death

Full pdf letter requesting Urgent Action On 18 August 2020, LRWC joined in an urgent letter from a group of 17 lawyers' organizations from to UN Special Procedures expressing "grave concern about two lawyers who have been on hunger strike since 2 February 2020 in demand for a fair trial."  The two … [Read more...]

Turkey: Lawyers on hunger strike near death, demanding fair trials and administration of justice in Turkey | Joint Statement

Full pdf joint statement endorsed by Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada The undersigned organisations have been following recent developments in the cases of human rights lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal, who have been on hunger strike since February 2020. On 5 April 2020, the Turkish Day of the … [Read more...]