Law Society steps in to help protect international lawyers

24 January 2008

The Law Society, the Association of Muslim Lawyers and the Bar Council will call on the Pakistani authorities for the release and reinstatement of lawyers and judges imprisoned in Pakistan following the recent constitutional crisis. 

All three groups are due to meet the High Commissioner of Pakistan next week. The Law Society had originally requested a meeting with President Musharraf during his visit to London, but he was unavailable.

Other lawyers and human rights groups have organised events to coincide with President Musharraf's visit.  The Solicitors' International Human Rights Group (SIHRG), the Society of Asian Lawyers and Amnesty International are holding a demonstration outside Downing Street, from 12 noon to 2pm on Saturday, 26 January. 

Michael Ellman, Chair of SIHRG, is urging as many lawyers as possible to attend the demonstration.  He said "the public in Britain, and especially the legal community, is very concerned about the situation, and particularly for our colleagues in Pakistan who have been persecuted for standing up for the rule of law."

Andrew Holroyd, President of the Law Society, said: "Solicitors have a duty to uphold the rule of law.  The rule of law requires the judiciary and the legal profession to be independent and free from political interference.  The Law Society continues to urge the government of Pakistan to return to an internationally recognised standard of the rule of law and to release and reinstate those lawyers and judges who remain in detention."