Iran: Revolutionary Court Verdicts Are Mostly “Unfair” – Nasrin Sotoudeh

March 30, 2019

https://women.ncr-iran.org/2019/03/30/revolutionary-court-verdicts-are-mostly-unfair-nasrin-sotoudeh/

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/nasrin-sotoudeh-iran-republic-day-human-rights-revolution-a8848801.html?fbclid=IwAR2w1-2R-2zks7M0KpbFaKbZ05d5O4074-TWMaZsLhb1iNr1mqEMGnSWTfM

https://womenintheworld.com/2015/09/15/the-day-100000-iranian-women-protested-the-head-scarf/?fbclid=IwAR0zk_uMriUlQmci9n1w76RpJzDxjVek0_LbFrZ11mbSSyK2OODdD522pBI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasrin_Sotoudeh

https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/iran-free-nasrin-satoudeh-now/ (SIGN THE PETITION!)

https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-sotoodeh-human-rights/4855657.html?nocache=1&fbclid=IwAR3IOqYULfLrSqLA9Sf-raQn8a3C1SDtdd-kmicmeOrxgJ3RqcEqgNGZdxU (FARSI)

https://www.radiofarda.com/a/29854760.html (FARSI)

http://www.avocatparis.org/Nasrin-Sotoudeh (SIGNEZ LA PETITION!)

https://www.change.org/p/lib%C3%A9rez-l-avocate-iranienne-nasrin-sotoudeh-freenasrin?recruiter=84221332&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition (SIGNEZ LA PETITION!)

https://actu.orange.fr/france/paris-decerne-la-citoyennete-d-honneur-a-l-iranienne-nasrin-sotoudeh-CNT000001eCI60.html (FRANCAIS)

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasrin_Sotoudeh (FRANCAIS)

https://roma.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/19_marzo_28/nasrin-sotoudeh-avvocati-roma-difesa-collega-iraniana-carcere-86a7aa78-516d-11e9-a893-b193ce6f4a88.shtml?fbclid=IwAR3ipWDnsg4gtYYDGOnCAMePZOCwQY9rH1uxDSE7cc1VmrnvEnGdS99WzKo (ITALIANO)

https://www.corriere.it/opinioni/19_marzo_31/onu-l-aguzzino-nasrin-sotoudeh-093460c0-53db-11e9-96c3-69d40ecc7f9b.shtml?fbclid=IwAR3Z_M4HvEwLncmOXdCAYTBE8nzMzb3giMTMjhvSCQDNVcgkL26NjDls8B0 (ITALIANO)

https://www.amnesty.it/appelli/liberta-per-nasrin/?fbclid=IwAR3lybtP2umkhOyKQq2xtUxChO5fTH3-zhCaEjCHL_JD92S1EBh5q1IB4Oc (FIRMA L’APPELLO!)

https://www.es.amnesty.org/actua/acciones/iran-nasrin-sotoudeh-mar19/ (FIRMA LA PETICION!)

Condamnée à 38 ans de prison et à 148 coups de fouets. Nasrin Sotoudeh a reçu en prison la visite de son fils Nima, 4 ans, et sa fille Mehraveh, 11 ans https://t.co/CMpMzmEpQx @AntonStruve pic.twitter.com/jwA307K2kN

— L’importante (@limportante_fr) April 1, 2019

.@Antonio_Duarte salue le #ConseildeParis qui a décerné à l’unanimité la Citoyenneté d’honneur à Nasrin #Sotoudeh, Avocate défenseure des droits humains emprisonnée et risque la mort !
Nous demandons sa libération immédiate. pic.twitter.com/vGNB0v6Dhg

— Make Paris Great Again ! (@makeparisgreat) April 1, 2019

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a prominent human rights defender who deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, not sentenced to 38yrs prison & 148 lashes

نسرین ستوده یک مدافع برجسته حقوق بشر است که شایستۀ جایزۀ صلح نوبل است و نه محكوم به 38 سال زندان و 148 ضربه شلاق. #FreeNasrin pic.twitter.com/jUWqCrGrns

— International Center For Human Rights (@ICHRCanada) April 1, 2019

İranlı hukukçu Nasrin Sotoudeh’e PEN’den destek https://t.co/cR7eNpbzEq via @EMAILiT

— Edebiyat Haber (@EdebiyatHaber) April 1, 2019

Glazov Moment: Take a Stand for Nasrin Sotoudeh https://t.co/5GlD13301O

— Frank Torantor (@mangua18) April 1, 2019

Comme nombre de nos Consœurs et Confrères, nous nous joignons au @CNBarreaux pour exprimer notre indéfectible soutien à notre Consœur iranienne #NasrinSotoudeh, injustement condamnée pour ses convictions et son engagement ! #FreeNasrin https://t.co/F3HOAY36eH

— ESENCIA Société d'avocats (@d_esencia) April 1, 2019

Je suis très heureuse de lire que le Conseil de Paris a voté à l’unanimité l’attribution de la citoyenneté d’honneur de la Ville de Paris à l’avocate et défenseure des droits humains iranienne #NasrinSotoudeh. Le combat pour sa libération continue ! #FreeNasrin pic.twitter.com/9jJB171eZU

— Chahla Chafiq (@ChahlaCHAFIQ) April 1, 2019

Bravo et merci aux https://t.co/dAK2F2kX4K du #conseilDeParis,l'affichage du portrait de #NasrinSotoudeh sur la façade de la mairie s'impose pour rendre encore plus visible la solidarité parisienne comme le demande depuis 2 semaines l'appel https://t.co/C97JsQUHjQ @ChahlaCHAFIQ https://t.co/aXP1cUO88K

— martine storti (@MartineStorti) April 1, 2019

 

Egypt: UPR Submission – Egypt

April 1, 2019

The Law Society and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy submitted a joint stakeholder report for Egypt’s UPR review. The submission highlights the consolidation of authoritarian rule through legislation and constitutional amendments, as well as the crackdown on members of the legal profession and civil society. It focuses specifically on:

• lack of judicial and prosecutorial independence
• military jurisdiction, state security emergency courts, special circuit terrorism courts, and lack of fair trial guarantees
• breakdown of the rule of law and legislation introduced by the executive
• use of the Counter-terrorism Law, the Protest Law, the NGO Law, the Media Law, the Cybercrime Law, and the Penal Code to harass, arrest, and prosecute lawyers and human rights defenders
• examples of arrest, detention, death in custody, and enforced disappearance of lawyers and human rights defenders.

…

http://communities.lawsociety.org.uk/international/international-rule-of-law/lawyers-at-risk/upr-submission-egypt/5067216.article

https://timep.org/reports-briefings/special-reports/timep-and-law-society-of-england-and-wales-joint-upr-submission-on-egypt/

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/

https://timep.org/

Turkey: New Report: Incarceration of Turkish Lawyers | Unjust Arrests and Convictions (2016-2019)

Apri 1, 2019

On the eve of 5th April which is Lawyers’ Day in Turkey, The Arrested Lawyers Initiative published new report entitled  “Incarceration of Turkish Lawyers | Unjust Arrests and Convictions (2016-2019).”

According to the report, 1546 Turkish lawyers have been prosecuted and 598 lawyers have been arrested since 2016 July. And so far, 274 Turkish lawyers have been sentenced to 1762 years in prison by the first instance courts under article 314 of the Turkish Penal Code.

The report reveals that all persecuted lawyers are being charged with terror-linked offenses; the main two accusations directed against them are membership to an armed terrorist organisation, and forming and leading an armed terrorist organisation. Article 314 of the Penal Code criminalises the establishment and commanding of (Article 314/1), as well as membership (Article 314/2) to an armed organisation. Under the Turkish Penal Code, these two offences attract 7,5 to 22,5 years imprisonment.

To read and download the report, click here

New Report: Incarceration of Turkish Lawyers | Unjust Arrests and Convictions (2016-2019)

https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/new-report-incarceration-turkish-lawyers/

https://arrestedlawyers.org/

http://www.idhae.org/pdf/111555_IN_V0.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2exqDoyngSMty28mDTq-dYch_wakFtYubJlhXORC3mmMQ4YtVytmxldOY (FRANCAIS)

The Philippines: De Lima presses for Senate probe into attacks against lawyers

April 1, 2019

Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Monday reiterated her call for the Senate to investigate the continued spate of violent attacks against lawyers and other members of the legal profession.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 1031, de Lima lamented that the roll of lawyers was rapidly transforming into a long list of names of casualties caught in the middle of the administration’s bloody war on drugs.

“While initially hunting down drug users and drug lords, the killings would spread across sectors – with one pillar of defense after another being toppled down in brazen impunity,” de Lima said in a statement.

De Lima said the escalating and alarming trend and spate of attacks and killings of members of the Bar makes it imperative for the government and law enforcement authorities and institutions to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.

The detained senator recalled how the Duterte administration targeted the free press, Catholic church and the priests, the human rights defenders, among others, in order to make his brutal drug war succeed.

“It would not take long before the equation is completed: attack the last standing stronghold – that once destroyed could give the war on drugs the go-signal for overdrive; those who vowed to uphold, defend and protect the rule of law: the lawyers, prosecutors and judges,” said the former justice secretary.

De Lima said the Senate should consider looking into, among others, Atty. Rex Jasper Lopoz, then representative of accused in drug cases, who was killed by unidentified gunmen last March 13.

She also called for in-depth probe into the killing of human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos, who was killed by riding-in-tandem assailants last November 6, 2018; and environmental lawyer Mia Manuelita Mascarinas-Green, who was shot dead by four motorcycle-riding gunmen in full view of her children last February 15, 2017.

Lopoz was the 38th lawyer who has been murdered since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016, records from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed.

…

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/04/01/de-lima-presses-for-senate-probe-into-attacks-against-lawyers/

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/689893/de-lima-reiterates-call-for-senate-probe-on-attacks-vs-lawyers/story/

http://www.ibp.ph/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/rights-groups-demand-release-duterte-critic-leila-de-lima-190222053034258.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leila_de_Lima

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Bar_of_the_Philippines

Cameroon: Cameroun : Le Mrc annonce des manifestations le 6 avril

le 31 mars, 2019

Le parti de Maurice Kamto demande la révision consensuelle du code électoral avant toute élection.

Le ton de la conférence de presse disait long sur ses enjeux et la nécessité d’assumer ses responsabilités face à l’histoire. A quelques mois de
l’organisation des prochaines échéances électorales au Cameroun, le Mouvement pour la renaissance du Cameroun (Mrc) dénonce toute tentative « éhontée d’organiser des élections au Cameroun avant la fin de la sale guerre dans les régions du Nord-Ouest et du Sud-Ouest meurtries et endeuillées » . C’est en ces termes que Me Emmanuel Simh, le 3eme vice-président du Mrc, a résumé la situation du Cameroun qui traverse à ses yeux une situation critique.

Prenant à témoin le peuple camerounais et la communauté internationale, il a affirmé que « le Mrc dénonce la mise sur pied d’une machine de fraudes
électorales, s’appuyant sur des procès-verbaux préfabriqués d’Elecam et des complicités ignobles auprès des administrations publiques ». Les interdictions systématiques de toutes les activités du parti étaient aussi au menu. Constatant que le Rdpc a curieusement fêté son anniversaire en occupant les voies publiques et les grands carrefours de villes et villages, pour organiser librement des meetings sur l’ensemble du territoire national, sans la moindre interdiction des forces de l’ordre et des autorités administratives, l’avocat du Mrc demande aux forces de l’ordre et aux autorités administratives de garder le même traitement accordé au Rdpc le 24 mars dernier, envers tous les partis politiques. Le directoire du Mrc instruit à tous les responsables des structures de base de ce parti, de déposer les déclarations de manifestations publiques pour la journée du 6 avril 2019. Le Mrc fait également appel aux partis de l’opposition et à la société civile pour une grande synergie d’action dans la revendication du respect des droits constitutionnels du peuple camerounais.

Me Emmanuel Simh a profité de la circonstance pour dénoncer la modification partielle et partiale de la constitution du Cameroun, et de la loi portant code électoral.

…

https://www.237online.com/cameroun-le-mrc-annonce-des-manifestations-le-6-avril/

https://www.camer.be/73993/6:1/cameroun-partis-politiques-le-mrc-annonce-des-manifestations-le-6-avril-cameroon.html

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Kamto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Kamto (ENGLISH)

India/Jammu & Kashmir: Court denies permission to hold seminar on ‘self-determination’

March 31, 2019

For the first time in decades, the Kashmir High Court Bar Association was not permitted to hold a seminar on ‘self-determination’.

The association, one of the largest elected bodies of Valley-based lawyers, was on Saturday not allowed to organise a seminar inside the court complex in Srinagar.

Principal District and Sessions Judge Abdul Rashid Malik, while disallowing the proposed seminar on ‘self-determination and repression in Kashmir’, in his order said the event could not be allowed inside the district court complex under law.

To mark the 23rd anniversary of Advocate Jaleel Andrabi, who was kidnapped by an Army Major on March 8, 1996, the Bar had proposed a seminar at its office located in the District Court, Moominabad, Srinagar. Jaleel, a human rights lawyer, was later killed in custody and his body was fished out from the Jhelum on March 27, 1996.

“The elected office-bearers of the Bar had inquired from Abdul Rashid Malik, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Srinagar, as to why the seminar cannot be held inside the court complex. He had no answer except that the topic chosen by the Bar was the reason for not giving it the permission. He told the association to change the topic and only then go ahead with the programme,” a Bar spokesman said in a statement in response to the cancellation of the seminar.

The Bar members, however, refused to do so and told the judge that they would postpone the seminar but won’t to change the topic, the spokesman said.

…

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/court-denies-permission-to-hold-seminar-on-self-determination/750860.html

https://menafn.com/1098324647/Disallowing-Seminar-Worst-Kind-Of-Repression-Mian-Qayoom

https://www.greaterkashmir.com/(X(1)S(yhbvblyst3mggq45hwumi5eu))/news/kashmir/hcba-flooded-with-suggestions-after-denial-of-permission-to-hold-seminar/318125.html

https://menafn.com/1098320909/Bar-Disallowed-To-Hold-Seminar-On-Jaleel-Anniversary

http://www.jkbarassociation.org/

China: Liu Xiaoyuan and at Least Two Other Fengrui Lawyers Face Imminent Disbarment

March 31, 2019

Liu Xiaoyuan (刘晓原) stands prominent among China’s human rights lawyers. In 2004, he came to Beijing to practice at the age of 40. In the roughly one decade up to mid-2015, he represented countless rights cases. Some of the more notable of these include the appeal of a death sentence by farmer Li Zhiping (李志平) in Dingzhou, Hebei Province; the Yang Jia (杨佳) police murder case in Shanghai; the case of the three netizens in Fujian (福建三网民); the case of journalist Qi Chonghuai (齐崇淮) in Shandong; and the case of Ji Zhongxing (冀中星), the migrant worker who threw a homemade bomb at the Beijing Capital Airport in 2013. Cases Liu Xiaoyuan has taken on in recent years include the “separatist” case of Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti (伊力哈木▪土赫提), as well as numerous dissidents and activists charged with offenses like incitement, subversion, picking quarrels, or disturbing public order and obstructing official business. Among his clients, the artist Ai Weiwei (艾未未) is probably the most well-known.

But from July 2015 till now, Liu Xiaoyuan has been out of work for three and a half years. In 40 days, he stands to lose his practicing license. At least two other lawyers of Beijing Fengrui Law Firm, Zhou Lixin (周立新) and Wang Yu (王宇), are facing the same deadline. Lawyer Huang Liqun (黄力群), a government official before becoming a lawyer, possibly faces the same situation. This is obviously due to the machinations of the Chinese Communist Party.

On July 9, 2015, the Chinese government carried out mass arrests of human rights lawyers in what became known as the 709 incident. At the center of this crackdown was the Beijing Fengrui Law Firm (北京锋锐律师事务所).

…

https://chinachange.org/2019/03/31/liu-xiaoyuan-and-at-least-two-other-fengrui-lawyers-face-imminent-disbarment/

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/professor-demotion-03292019135331.html

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3003639/chinese-human-rights-lawyer-wang-yu-freed-after-being-detained

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/abolishes-11132018112433.html

https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/04/01/un-china-responds-rights-review-threats?fbclid=IwAR3bbCGN4kGyX3-RLnFdW3lf-xnMslyPkbZDnrLEJJMxZw90sFfFv1X0m14

http://www.chrlawyers.hk/en/content/liu-xiaoyuan

http://www.chrlawyers.hk/en/content/zhou-lixin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Yu_(lawyer)

https://www.voacantonese.com/a/update-of-rights-lawyer-wang-yu-taken-from-us-embassy-by-police-20190331/4855547.html (CANTONESE)

https://www.voachinese.com/a/update-of-rights-lawyer-wang-yu-taken-from-us-embassy-by-police-20190331/4855509.html (MANDARIN)

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Yu_(avocate) (FRANCAIS)