Watch the “NASRIN” Sotoudeh Film Seminar held 4 December | Event recording

UPDATE 9 December 2020: Recording of the seminar (off this site) UPDATE: 4 December 2020:  Iran: Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Sent Back to Prison on 1 December 2020. Joint Statement Seminar – “NASRIN” Sotoudeh Film Nasrin Sotoudeh is renowned worldwide for her work as a lawyer in Iran. She … [Read more...]

Iran: Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Sent Back to Prison | Joint Statement

Full PDF (ENG) We, the undersigned 26 Bar Associations, Law Societies, and organisations supporting the legal profession of over 14 countries, stand in solidarity with our Iranian colleague Nasrin Sotoudeh and other lawyers in Iran who are being persecuted by their Government for carrying … [Read more...]

United Nations Guidance Note: Protection and Promotion of Civic Space | Welcome Development

UN_Guidance_Note (PDF)  (UN Link to Guidance Note) | UN_Guidance_Note_Executive_Summary (PDF) (UN_Link to Executive Summary) Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada welcomes the launch of the UN Guidance Note on Protection and Promotion of Civic Space. The Guidance Note affirms the role and responsibility … [Read more...]

Turkey: 5th anniversary of extrajudicial killing of human rights lawyer Tahir Elçi: Effective investigation remains lacking | Joint Statement

Full PDF (ENG) | Full PDF (TUR) The undersigned organisations have been following recent developments in the case involving the prosecution of police officers allegedly involved in the killing of human rights lawyer Tahir Elçi in November 2015. We are concerned that the prosecution, as … [Read more...]

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...]

United States: Joint Oral Statement to the UN Human Rights Council on systemic racism and police violence | Joint statement led by ACLU

Full PDF (ENG) See the joint oral statement LRWC was among 300 NGOs from more than 60 countries that joined a 1 October 2020 oral statement to the UN Human Rights Council led by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The oral statement was a follow up to the Council's June 2020 Resolution 43/1 … [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...]

ATTACKING DEFENDERS: The Criminalization of Human Rights Advocacy | Press Release

More about the book, including free download Read the Foreword by Michel Forst NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Promoting human rights by protecting those who defend them www.lrwc.org – lrwc@lrwc.org – Tel: +1 604 736 … [Read more...]

Saudi Arabia: Persistent gross, widespread and systematic violations of human rights while a member of the UN Human Rights Council | Joint Written Statement to the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

See full pdf report as filed with the UN Human Rights Council without footnotes (due to length restrictions) See the fully footnoted report (pdf) This written statement by LRWC is endorsed by the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR). Item 4 – Human rights situations that require Council’s … [Read more...]

Turkey: Immediately and Unconditionally Release Idil Eser and 9 Other Human Rights Defenders | Letter

Full PDF Version LRWC calls on Turkey to immediately release Idil Eser, Director of Amnesty International Turkey and nine other human rights defenders arrested and detained on 5 July 2017 ostensibly for investigation of alleged membership in “an armed organization with the purpose of committing … [Read more...]