Canada Campaigns

Defending Defenders: The Right to Know Rights | The Advocate, January 2021

"Defending Defenders: The Right to Know Rights," by Catherine Morris, The Advocate, January 2021. Abstract: The first two decades in this millennium have seen dramatic increases in risks to those reporting or protesting rights violations or advocating human rights, particularly in relation to … [Read more...]

Doing the two-step on uneven platforms: Successes and setbacks of human rights advocacy

First published by Slaw.ca, Canada's online legal magazine, on 30 December 2020 Human rights advocates are sometimes asked whether human rights advocacy works. Most human rights defenders answer in the form of anecdotes, because empirical research on effectiveness is scarce in a world where human … [Read more...]

A request for your support for Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada: A letter from the Executive Director

Dear friends and colleagues, 2020 has been a year unlike any other. In a time when we have experienced a global pandemic and widespread political conflict, the protection of international human rights has become increasingly crucial. This year has also been a year of solidarity and political … [Read more...]

Defending Defenders Around the World: An Invitation to join Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and support its work

LRWC invites lawyers, law students and others to become members of Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and to support its work through donations  LRWC members defend the rule of law and human rights advocates around the world The work done by LRWC is made possible by the pro bono work of members, … [Read more...]

Lawyers in Danger: Threats to Advocates Worldwide | The Advocate, November 2020

This article was originally published in The Advocate, November 2020 edition | See the .pdf article The Advocate is published six times each year by the Vancouver Bar Association and is made available to all lawyers in British Columbia, Canada. NEWS FROM LAWYERS’ RIGHTS WATCH … [Read more...]

Canadian pro bono lawyers amplify the calls for justice worldwide: 30th anniversary of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers | Report from LRWC published in Slaw.ca

Canadian pro bono lawyers amplify the calls for justice worldwide: 30th anniversary of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers Catherine Morris First published at Slaw.ca, Canada's online legal magazine, on 27 October 2020 For the past two decades, Canadian lawyers have been speaking up … [Read more...]

Canada: International Human Rights Program, University of Toronto Faculty of Law | Letter

Full PDF (ENG) 30 September 2020 Dean Edward Iacobucci University of Toronto Faculty of Law 78 Queens Park Toronto, ON, M5S 2C5 Email: deansoffice.law@utoronto.ca Dear Dean Iacobucci, Re: Canada: International Human Rights Program, U of T Faculty of Law I write on behalf of … [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...]

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...]

Canadian Government Must Ban Use of Facial Recognition Surveillance by Federal Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies | Joint letter

Canadian Government Must Ban Use of Facial Recognition Surveillance by Federal Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies Letter PDF (ENG) Press Release PDF (FR) Group of 77 privacy, human rights and civil liberties advocates call on Public Safety Minister Bill Blair to act July 8, … [Read more...]