Lawyers respond to flurry of international human rights violations

September 3 2009

The Law Society's International Human Rights Committee and the Law Society Charity says more human rights lawyers are needed to maintain the response to the flurry of human rights breaches around the world.

The call comes ahead of the Law Society's Human Rights Symposium, a major two day conference on Friday 11 September and Saturday 12 September at the University of Essex in Colchester to examine how the legal profession in England and Wales can bring human rights into their everyday work.

In the last two months alone the Law Society has acted a number of high-profile human rights breaches, including the recent murder of human rights activist Natalia Estemirova whose work helped raise concerns over the state of the rule of law in Russia and particularly Chechenya.

Tony Fisher, chairman of the Law Society International Human Rights Committee, says:

"We have intervened in a number of prominent instances of human rights breaches, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. Lawyers play a vital role in protecting human rights and need to remain proactive in that role.

"The conference is not only a platform for the legal profession to share ideas, it is a launch pad for ensuring we act on the growing human rights concerns around the globe."

The Society recently acted over the attack at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, which is home to 3,500 Iranian refugees. The attack reportedly left 13 residents dead and more than 400 injured. The International Human Rights Committee called the United States and Iraq to ensure the camp's residents are properly protected.

Only this week, the Law Society joined the Bar Council and Bar Human Rights Committee in calling for an end to the mass trials being held in Iran following the political unrest after the disputed June presidential elections. The joint statement called on the Iranian authorities to ensure the trials were fair following reports that lawyers representing the defendants have been denied access to their clients and prosecution documents.

The Human Rights Symposium will see renowned human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman give a key note speech, while Aryeh Neier, President of the Open Society Initiative, will also deliver a key note address. Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg will attend as a guest panel member.

Law Society Charity Chairman Nigel Dodds will also speak at the conference about the Charity's involvement in the human rights arena.

Nigel Dodds says: "Many of the causes the Charity donates to have a human rights element to them. It is a shame to say that the world is far from free of human rights violations, but the profession, through a number of initiatives, is doing all it can to change that and the Charity will go on supporting those efforts."

Through its International Human Rights Committee, the Law Society's human rights programme has been gathering momentum over the last two years. An International Action Team has been formed consisting of approximately 300 pro bono lawyers and law students, who research and draft interventions on behalf of fellow lawyers and other human rights defenders whose fundamental rights have been violated abroad.

The Law Society's International Division also designs and implements projects to support developing justice systems and legal professions abroad in upholding the ule of law and access to justice.

Places are still available on the Human Rights Symposium. Contact internationalhumanrights@lawsociety.org.uk to secure or book online at http://i-central.inntel.co.uk/i-delegate/LawSociety_HumanRightsSymposium/

Further details can be found at http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/node/6375

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