Lawyers for Lawyers and The Law Society of England & Wales organize a UN side event on the “The Independence of the Legal Profession” on Thursday 16 March 2017, 3 – 5 pm in Room XXIII of the Palais des Nations, Geneva.
Keynote speaker: Diego García-Sayán, Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
Panelists:
· Khalid Baghirov, lawyer (Azerbaijan)
· Ayse Bingol Demir, lawyer (Turkey) [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2015/01/23/persecution-of-lawyers-and-journalists-in-turkey-side-event-in-geneva-on-27-january/]
· Michel Togué, lawyer (Cameroon) [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2013/02/13/death-threats-against-human-rights-defenders-alice-nkom-and-michel-togue-in-cameroon/]
The panelists will share their experiences, obstacles faced by members of the legal profession in their respective countries, and possible ways to improve the safety of lawyers who work in challenging contexts.
The event is co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Australia and Paraguay as well as the following NGOs: – Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC),- Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), – Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC), – International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), – Avocats Sans Frontières Suisse (ASF Switzerland), – International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), – Judges for Judges (J4J), – Human Rights House Foundation and- Peace Brigades International (PBI, UK)
To register (for those without passes, until 12 March 2017): S.deGraaf@lawyersforlawyers.nl
For enquiries: Roberta.Taveri@lawsociety.org.uk
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 