Day of the Endangered Lawyer: Exclusive Interview: Diego García-Sayán, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers

24/01/21

On the International Day of Endangered Lawyers – 2021, we have the privilege of having an exclusive interview with Mr Diego García-Sayán, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. We talked about a wide range of topics: from growing authoritarianism to attacks on judges and lawyers; Poland, Turkey, Hungary, Italy and others.

Q1: Mr Garcia-Sayán, first we must thank you for your incredible efforts to protect the lawyers and judges across the world in these difficult times. Could you start by talking more about your mission as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers?

In 1994, the Commission on Human Rights, in resolution 1994/41, noting both the increasing frequency of attacks on the independence of judges, lawyers and court officials and the link which exists between the weakening of safeguards for the judiciary and lawyers and the gravity and frequency of violations of human rights, decided to appoint, for a period of three years, a Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. Like other Special Procedures, this mandate was assumed by the Human Rights Council (General Assembly resolution 60/251), and extended for one year, subject to the review to be undertaken by the Council (Human Rights Council decision 2006/102).

The responsibility entrusted to the Special Rapporteur s diverse and complex. His/her  mandate is broad and covers issues such as access to justice, the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the proper functioning of the justice system, the protection of the person and function of judges, lawyers, prosecutors and judicial officers, and the right to a fair trial and due process. All of these aspects are fundamental to the exercise of human rights.

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Exclusive Interview: Diego García-Sayán, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers

https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/24/human-rights-lawyers-in-turkey-face-threats-and-detention-view

Les avocats des droits humains en Turquie sont menacés et détenus | Vue

(FRANCAIS)

https://www.avocats-toulouse.com/fr/actualites-du-barreau/la-une/profession-journee-mondiale-de-lavocat-en-danger-2021

http://www.armenews.com/spip.php?page=article&id_article=75142

https://www.ansa.it/emiliaromagna/notizie/2021/01/24/giornata-dellavvocato-minacciato-webinar-a-bologna_174ad9d3-6dcb-4f3e-9f7a-a004313856d9.html (ITALIANO)

https://www.consiglionazionaleforense.it/web/cnf-calendario/-/748216

https://unba.org.ua/news/6235-24-sichnya-vshanovuet-sya-den-postrazhdalih-advokativ.html (UKRAINIAN)

On the #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer we are holding accountable to the governments of #Azerbaijan, #Hungary, #Philippines, #Poland, #Turkey, #Uganda, and #Venezuela for persecuting their legal profession. 
** Reply and post specific cases in your country.

— Diego García-Sayán (@UNIndepJudges) January 24, 2021

#Azerbaijan. Human rights lawyer Yalchin Imanov, on February 22, 2019, was indefinitely disbarred, for providing information to the media about the torture of his client.#ABAInternational #solidarityinlaw #EndangeredLawyer #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer
https://t.co/R3QiJbrIsJ

— ABA International (@ABAInternatl) January 24, 2021

L'Observatoire International des Avocats co-organise avec l'UIA-IROL @UIAdefense et @AED_EDL un webinaire à l’occasion du #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer 2021 consacré à l’#Azerbaijan.
Merci de vous inscrire au lien suivant: https://t.co/V7WGZXCUJW@ProtectLawyers pic.twitter.com/AvcgdX0oh4

— UIA (@UnionIntAvocats) January 24, 2021

El Observatorio Internacional de Abogados organiza con UIA-IROL @UIAdefense y @AED_EDL un webinar con motivo del #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer de 2021 dedicado a #Azerbaiyán.
Inscríbase en el enlace siguiente: https://t.co/V7WGZXCUJW @ProtectLawyers#UIA4Lawyers pic.twitter.com/7Fal71SQC2

— UIA (@UnionIntAvocats) January 24, 2021

The International Observatory of Lawyers in Danger together with the UIA-IROL @UIAdefense and the @AED_EDL convene you to its webinar for the #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer 2021 dedicated to #Azerbaijan.
Please register at the link below : https://t.co/V7WGZXCUJW@ProtectLawyers pic.twitter.com/bqkkJjD1W9

— UIA (@UnionIntAvocats) January 24, 2021

Today we observe #DayOfTheEndangeredLawyer. The City Bar renews our call to protect lawyers around the world who are silenced, harassed and persecuted. We seek to preserve the right of all legal professionals to pursue justice in their communities. #BarOfHope pic.twitter.com/hFSLWHvfqp

— New York City Bar (@NYCBarAssn) January 24, 2021

On the #DayOfTheEndangeredLawyer Sunday 24 January, we stand in solidarity with legal professionals around the world. We will continue to work to support them and to ensure the survival of strong, vibrant justice systems https://t.co/ljvReG1Vkt pic.twitter.com/DY8gFyccZ0

— The Law Society (@TheLawSociety) January 24, 2021

On the #DayOfTheEndangeredLawyer Sunday 24 January, we stand in solidarity with legal professionals around the world. We will continue to work to support them and to ensure the survival of strong, vibrant justice systems

— David Greene (@LitLawyer) January 24, 2021

Today, 24 Jan 21, marks the 11th anniversary of the #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer. Yesterday's arrest of Alexey Navalny's #lawyer, @SobolLubov, demonstrates the importance of bringing awareness to the plight of many #lawyers across the globe. Retweet.@navalny #HumanRights #RuleOfLaw https://t.co/QcBd4CnvvH

— IBAHRI (@IBAHRI) January 24, 2021

Fotos del acto#DíaDelAbogadoAmenazado

Denunciar la situación compañeras abogadas en este país en defensa #DDHH#DayOfTheEndangeredLawyer

International Day of Lawyers in Danger 2021

The struggle to protect Azerbaijani lawyers#Azerbaiyán#Azerbaiyán #Azerbaijan #Azərbaycan pic.twitter.com/w1tfO98fac

— ALA (@AlaAbog) January 24, 2021

MT
Cada día hai avogadas que defenden á cidadanía, documentan violacións aos seus dereitos, impugnan leis que lle prexudican.. Se elas están en risco, estámolo todos
No Oriente Medio e N.África moitas son agredidas, detidas e asasinadas polo seu traballo#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer https://t.co/FzbxEuAv1C

— Elena Cal (@ElenaLibia) January 24, 2021

#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer. Several lawyers in #Zimbabwe have been intimidated arrested persecuted & prosecuted for exercising #FreedomOfSpeech & representing ‘political’ clients. This undermines independence of the legal profession in turn threatening #RuleOfLaw! @lawsocietyofzim https://t.co/fx4b9UzxrB

— mooya nyaundi (@mooyalynn) January 24, 2021

To mark #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer we're hosting a
panel of human rights in conversation with @mehvesevin

Monday, 7pm (Turkey time)

They will discuss the risks lawyers in Turkey face & look at the Büyükada & Özgür Gündem trials

To register visit https://t.co/kIMfRCuaGF pic.twitter.com/fhJmEFMD8F

— Stefan Simanowitz (@StefSimanowitz) January 24, 2021

#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer recognizes dangers faced by lawyers who dare to stand up for #HumanRights. 100s of lawyers in Turkey are believed to be in pre-trial detention, overcrowded jails, & subjected to unfair investigations & prosecutions https://t.co/VHUGCNSSWq @StefSimanowitz

— equalitynow (@equalitynow) January 24, 2021

#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer#BeingaLawyerinTurkey #TehlikedekiAvukatlarGünü #DefenceInDanger https://t.co/LzWyeFJvKo pic.twitter.com/Lq0KLfclP9

— Lawyers In Exile 🌍 (@eng_lawyers) January 24, 2021

24 Ocak Tehlike Altındaki Avukatlar Günü!

Avukatın bırakın müvekkilini, kendini dahi savunamadığı; avukatlığı bırakın insan yerine bile konulmadığı bir hukuk sisteminin esareti altındaki tüm meslektaşlarımıza selam olsun.. #EndangeredLawyer#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer @L4L_INT https://t.co/mXY4Gxgg0a

— Ali Nadir DÖNMEZ (@AliNadirDonmez) January 24, 2021

Avukat #ÜmitArslan a, "müvekkilinizin ifadesi alınacak emniyete gelir misiniz" denilip tuzak kuruldu.
İfadeye girmesine izin verilmeden gözaltına alındı ve bir hafta tutuldu.#TürkiyedeAvukatOlmak#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer#TehlikeAltındakiAvukatlarGünü #BeingALawyerInTurkey pic.twitter.com/tq73kNyPHr

— Lawyers In Exile (@LawyersInExile) January 24, 2021

#CemalettinÖzer still in prison based on an unlawful verdict.#TürkiyedeAvukatOlmak#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer#TehlikeAltındakiAvukatlarGünü #BeingALawyerInTurkey #EndangeredLawyer pic.twitter.com/5JBgZMpBe7

— Lawyers In Exile 🌍 (@eng_lawyers) January 24, 2021

#DíaAbogacíaAmenazada#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer#BeingaLawyerinTurkey #TehlikedekiAvukatlarGünü #DefenceInDanger https://t.co/YadOmkuvmO pic.twitter.com/QaToxioigf

— Mehmet Siginir (@mehmetsiginir) January 24, 2021

Thinking of her on #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer her commitment for speaking out against the human rights abuses will be remembered! https://t.co/WR9BAFbBoS

— Sarah Mizran (@Smizoh) January 24, 2021

#Turkey #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer pic.twitter.com/9gG1IDh37M

— The Arrested Lawyers (@ArrestedLawyers) January 24, 2021

Algerian rights lawyer Salah Dabouz was previously detained & placed under judicial observation for Facebook posts critical of actions taken by the judiciary & prosecution. He's also received death threats for his work.

Thinking of him on the #DayoftheEndangeredLawyer. pic.twitter.com/kK5JsLlYol

— Mai El-Sadany (@maitelsadany) January 24, 2021

Dr. Al-Mansoori experienced severe ill-treatment and poor living conditions and he was forced to stay in solitary confinement for extended periods of time.
He paid a heavy price for being a human rights lawyer &for his non-violent dissent. #UAE94#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer pic.twitter.com/oE7GTxWD6O

— ICJHR.ORG (@ICJHR_ORG) January 24, 2021

Abuse, Slander, Threats, Intimidation, Imprisonment, Assassination.

Just a few hours left before this important event by @UK_CAGE about how lawyers have been targeted by the state, the media and the public for simply doing their job.#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer pic.twitter.com/VGLsSrMhsl

— Fahad Ansari (Activist Lawyer/Do-Gooder) (@fahadansari) January 24, 2021

Tagged: Algeria, Amnesty International, Azerbaijan, Day of the Endangered Lawyer, France, IBAHRI, Italy, Law Society of England & Wales, Observatoire international des avocats en danger, Russia, Spain, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Union internationale des avocats, United Kingdom, USA