Tag: persecution of lawyers

Between the 25 and 27 June, 2018, a delegation of lawyers, a judge and human rights defenders from Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Italy, Belgium and Turkey, led by the Open Dialogue Foundation, participated in the 38th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The right to defence is one of the fundamental human rights that is enshrined in a number of international agreements. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the principle of equality of all before the law, the presumption of innocence, and the right to be examined openly.

The International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger (IOL) recently published two statements expressing its concern for Ana Ursachi and Botagoz Jardemalie, both lawyers and human rights defenders, from Moldova and Kazakhstan, respectively.

The ODF and the Italian Federation for Human Rights, with the valued support of the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty, are pleased to announce the holding of the third event concerning the persecution of lawyers and international instruments for their protection.

On 24 May 2018, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of PACE adopted two draft resolutions expressing its concern over new legislations and restrictions on NGOs’ activities in member States of the CoE and calling for the need to strengthen the important role of human rights defenders.

Between 17th and 18th of May representatives of the Open Dialogue Foundation held a series of meetings with German politicians in the Bundestag.

Between 17th and 18th of May representatives of the Open Dialogue Foundation held a series of meetings with German politicians in the Bundestag.

Year in and year out, Moldova cannot shake off the shackles of corruption, oligarchy, and selective justice. International partners expressed their readiness to render assistance to the country in carrying out the necessary reforms, but they have faced sabotage and inactivity

On April 9, 2018, MEPs – Jaromír Štětina, Julie Ward, Tomáš Zdechovský – addressed the Ministry of Justice and General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova with regard to the attacks currently being organised against independent lawyers, pro-reform activists, and judges in the country.

On March 13, 2018, MEPs submitted a written question to the EU VP/HR, Ms Federica Mogherini, on the harassment and persecution of lawyers taking place in Azerbaijan. In their address, P. Auštrevičius, J. Ward and T. Zdechovský made reference to individual cases of persecuted lawyers.

A Moldovan court has sanctioned the arrest of counsel Ana Ursachi. The court session was carried out in the absence of her defenders. The authorities engaged a public defender in the judicial process, which can be regarded as a way to legalise the court decision

Between 1 and 2 March, 2018, a delegation of defenders from the Open Dialogue Foundation met in Geneva on the occasion of the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Mr Josè Ignacio Sanchez Amor, Chair of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, signed two letters on Friday 23 February 2018, one addressed to the President of Kazakhstan, Mr Nazarbayev

In February 2018, two events on the topic of the persecution of lawyers were held at the premises of the European Parliament in Brussels (Tuesday, 20 February 2018) and at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting in Vienna (Friday, 23 February 2018)

Persecution of lawyers: selected cases from Moldova, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan