A High Court advocate was finally released after being detained at the Kilimani Police Station in Nairobi.
Stanley Kinyanjui was allegedly beaten and arrested by law enforcers after he was seen filming them.’
The officers were supposedly harassing motorists when the attorney started recording.
Aggrieved by his action, the officers took on him before detaining him.
But speaking moments later, Kinyanjui revealed he had been released after talking to the officer commanding the station in which he was being detained.
The lawyer said that the OCS took up the matter and reprimanded the officers to whom he explained that filming was not an offence.
A solicitor representing three victims of the IRA is being threatened with legal action around comments he made in relation to his clients’ civil case against Gerry Adams.
Matthew Jury, of McCue Jury & Partners, is facing the action brought by London-based Howe and Co Solicitors.
The firm acted on behalf of the former Sinn Fein president in the civil case but confirmed in a statement Mr Adams “had nothing to do” with the defamation action.
The firm alleged that comments made by Mr Jury in a press release following a High Court judgment in January were defamatory about their practice.
In January, the High Court ruled that three victims of IRA bombings in London and Manchester can sue Mr Adams in a personal capacity for damages.
John Clark, a victim of the Old Bailey bombing in March 1973, brought forward the case alongside Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock.
Mr Ganesh is a victim of the London Docklands bombing in February 1996, with Mr Laycock a victim of the June 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester.
At the time of the ruling, Mr Justice Soole determined that the three victims cannot sue the IRA itself or the former Sinn Fein leader as a “representative” of the paramilitary group, but that claims against Mr Adams in a personal capacity would continue.
Mr Adams has always denied any membership of the IRA and has refuted any involvement in its terror campaign during the decades of the Troubles. He has never been prosecuted for links with any of the group’s activities.
Commenting on the ruling at the time, Mr Jury’s firm issued a statement saying that: “Adams and his legal team’s apparent attempt to intimidate them [the claimants] into withdrawing their claims has, rightly failed and their case will continue.”
Yesterday evening, lawyer Andrea Zotaj, part of the Bar Association, Gjirokastër, miraculously escaped an assassination attempt in Memaliaj.
The incident took place on the old road in the village of Qesarat, while lawyer Zotaj accompanied by his nephew were going to the area in their car.
While they were ambushed by 36-year-old Fatos Lamaj, from Ane Vjosë village, Qesarat Administrative Unit, Memaliaj Municipality.
According to lawyer Zotaj, Lamaj had ambushed him to execute him, but luck was with the lawyer who, through a dangerous maneuver of the vehicle he was driving, managed to avoid the bullets fired by the aggressor Lamaj.
#CCBEPlenary2020 following the opening of accession negotiations to the EU with the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Albania, the membership status of the Albanian Chamber of Advocacy and the North Macedonia Bar Association changes to CCBE associate members. pic.twitter.com/CrPmNbl6Gx
The National Bar Association in Tunisia revealed that the former dean of Tunisian lawyers, Abderrazak Kilani, has been summoned by the 35th investigative judge of the Court of First Instance to respond to charges leveled against him.
Kilani, a prominent lawyer and human rights defender, faces allegations related to the dissemination of information through information systems, including personal data, and the dissemination of false information aimed at defaming and inciting hate speech against public figures, as outlined in Article 24 of Law No. 54. The hearing is scheduled for April 2.
This development marks a recurrent confrontation between Kilani and Tunisian authorities. Previously, on March 2, 2022, during his tenure as dean of lawyers in Tunis, Kilani faced legal action, including a prison deposit card, after being accused of participating in disruptive gatherings, insulting public officials, attempting to cause chaos, and inciting disobedience.
The recent summons stems from an incident on January 2, 2022, when Kilani was involved in a dispute with security personnel outside the “Habib Bouqtafa” hospital in Bizerte, where his client, Noureddine Bhiri, leader of the Ennahda movement, was under house arrest. Bhiri’s deteriorating health condition raised tensions, leading to Kilani’s altercation with security forces.
Despite the March 21, 2022, decision to release Kilani by the military investigative judge, concerns persist regarding the repeated targeting of Kilani by Tunisian authorities.
A day ahead of lawyer Abdelaziz Essid's verdict on spurious charges, @amnesty calls on #Tunisia authorities to end the growing judicial harassment and intimidation of lawyers solely for discharging their professional duties. https://t.co/ccjuVUwapn
King Mswati’s police officers have released detained Tanele Maseko, the widow to assassinated human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko.
Eswatini Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
The widow was grabbed,harassed and tormented by the police at the Oshoek Boarder in the early hours on Thursday and this, was shortly after receiving threats from the State through retiring Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.
The ongoing harassment comes after the widow made statements alleging that, her husband was killed by a “horrible dictator”, Mswati is suspected to have unleashed his mercenaries to kill lawyer Thulani Maseko,the then Chairperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF).
The release of the widow was confirmed to this Swaziland News by human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi on Thursday.
Lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi rushed to Oshoek shortly after receiving information suggesting that, Tanele Maseko “has been detained” by the police.
“It’s true she has just been released” said the human rights lawyer.
In a joint public statement sent to this publication on Thursday, the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network and the Pan African Human Rights Defenders condemned the harassment of the widow to the assassinated human rights lawyer.
Tanele Maseko and her family have been unlawfully detained by the Government of Swaziland. Tanele has been outspoken about the assassination of her late husband Thulane Maseko in January 2023. He was a formidable human rights activist and thorn to the corrupt Swazi regime. https://t.co/w8dZACM5rl
“Instead of using the criminal justice system to target, intimidate and harass Tanele Maseko, Eswatini authorities should focus on promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigating Thulani Maseko’s murder.”https://t.co/TR0bNqSnbshttps://t.co/5laqtnFfWh
I am very concerned by the arbitrary detention of WHRD Tanele Maseko & her family members in #Eswatini yesterday. She is currently being interviewed by police. This follows the murder of her husband HRD Thulani Maseko in 2023. The harassment of Tanele must stop @MfaicSdpic.twitter.com/6lsyNfCbki
— Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) March 28, 2024
Après l’administration, les journalistes, les syndicats, les commerçants et un tas d’autres corporations, le régime de Kaïs Saïed chercher à briser les quelques avocats encore insolents à coups de procès fallacieux.
De tous temps, les avocats ont été en première ligne pour défendre les causes des libertés et s’opposer à l’autoritarisme des différents régimes qui ont gouverné la Tunisie. La période de Kaïs Saïed ne fait pas exception. En dépit du dos rond observé par les deux derniers bureaux du Barreau, il y a une bonne dizaine, voire une vingtaine, d’avocats qui continuent encore à honorer la profession en perpétuant la tradition universelle du militantisme.
Après avoir brisé plusieurs corporations, allant des boulangers et éleveurs aux journalistes des médias publics et magistrats, le régime de Kaïs Saïed tente actuellement de briser les quelques avocats insolents qui l’empêchent de tapisser sa dictature.
Mercredi 27 mars 2024, Abdelaziz Essid, l’un des plus célèbres et performants avocats du barreau tunisien, comparaitra devant la chambre correctionnelle au Tribunal de première instance de Tunis. Il doit répondre au chef d’accusation d’attribution de faits irréels à un fonctionnaire public et atteinte à autrui à travers les réseaux de télécommunication. La plaignante est la ministre de la Justice en personne, le message est on ne peut plus clair. Un comité de défense est immédiatement constitué et exprime son refus des procès vindicatifs et des affaires fabriquées. Il considère que ce procès piétine le décret-loi portant organisation de la profession d’avocat et annule l’article 47 de ce même décret. Mais comment faire valoir ses droits quand l’adversaire est la ministre de la Justice d’un régime autoritaire qui a prouvé, moult fois, son irrespect total des lois, des procédures et même de la constitution.
On n’est pas encore remis de l’affaire de Abdelaziz Essid qu’une autre affaire vient secouer la corporation, celle de Sonia Dahmani et les motifs sont encore plus risibles. D’après Bassem Trifi, avocat et président de la Ligue tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme, Me Dahmani est poursuivie pour une phrase des plus banales qu’elle a prononcée au cours de l’une de ses chroniques radiophoniques, « Placer les gens en prison n’est pas une réalisation ». C’est surréaliste ? Les Tunisiens se sont habitués à la chose avec ce régime.
Ce qui arrive avec Me Essid et Me Dahmani n’a rien d’une première. Plusieurs avocats, avant eux, ont dû affronter des affaires montées de toutes pièces, voire jetés en prison, comme c’est le cas de Lazhar Akremi, Abderrazek Kilani et Abir Moussi. Il y a même ceux qui ont été condamnés deux fois pour la même affaire, puis incarcérés, comme c’est le cas de Seïf Eddine Makhlouf.
Le 22 mars la @Conf_Batonniers a adopté une motion de #soutien aux #avocats du barreau de Beyrouth. Condamnation des violences commises envers les avocats du barreau de Beyrouth et soutien dans leur lutte pour la restauration de l’État de droit et des libertés individuelles. pic.twitter.com/6jEs13xH1q
— ConférenceBâtonniers (@Conf_Batonniers) March 27, 2024
Адвокаты по назначению, защищающие обвиняемых в совершении теракта в «Крокус Сити Холл», получают угрозы. От них требуют отказаться от участия в процессе. В противном случае грозят «отрезать уши» и расправиться другими жуткими способами с ними и их семьями. Ситуация настолько серьезная, что требует вмешательства правоохранителей. Возможно ли было такое предсказать?
Чудовищный теракт в «Крокусе» вызвал колоссальное возмущение в обществе. Но это, как выразился легендарный адвокат Генри Резник, тест на правовую культуру. Пройдем ли мы его? Пожалуй, это один из главных вызовов современности.
Всех обвиняемых по делу о теракте поместили в СИЗО «Лефортово». И даже в коридорах изолятора (точнее, в помещении, где адвокаты ждут своей очереди) ведутся шумные дискуссии по поводу участия в этом деле. Удивительно, но среди людей с адвокатским удостоверением есть те, кто полагает: надо было отказаться защищать террористов. Фокус в том, что это, по сути, невозможно.
Объясню ситуацию. Когда приходит «разнарядка» на защиту обвиняемого, там указана только фамилия. Рядом с ней не пишут справку в духе «это тот самый негодяй, убивший сотни людей». До последнего ФИО подозреваемых в страшном теракте в «Крокусе» никто не знал. И вот свободный адвокат нажимает кнопку, принимая «заявку». Все, с этого момента он не может отказаться. Да и если бы мог, то все равно это пришлось бы делать кому-то другому. Закон есть закон. Без участия адвоката (если сам обвиняемый не отказался от него) невозможны ни следственные действия, ни судебный процесс.
Адвоката обвиняемого в преступлении зачастую путают с пособником. Одни относятся к нему как к тому, кто подносил патроны и помогал резать. Другие — как к тому, кто сам не участвовал, но оправдывает, одобряет. Для людей, хоть сколько-то разбирающихся в праве, подобные измышления звучат дико. Но сколько тех, кто не смыслит в юриспруденции вообще ничего?! «Защищаешь педофила? Ты, значит, такой же!» «Ты адвокат серийного убийцы? Да ты сам скрытый маньяк, выходит». Подобные оскорбления адвокаты получают регулярно. И не только у нас, а во всем мире.
The court-appointed lawyers who are defending those accused of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Russia are receiving threats to have their ears cut off. Why is it that extremists always feel that lawyers get in the way of "justice"… https://t.co/IMLydFV5HT
❗The interests of all four accused of the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall were represented by lawyers provided by the state. Not a single lawyer volunteered to defend the defendants in the case, TASS reported this in court.
Dans un communiqué, publié ce jeudi 21 mars 2024, l’Ordre national des avocats a vigoureusement condamné les poursuites judiciaires incessantes à l’encontre des avocats, des journalistes, des syndicalistes, des militants des droits de l’Homme, ainsi que les pressions exercées sur les avocats dans l’exercice de leur profession.
L’Ordre a souligné le droit fondamental du peuple tunisien à un système politique moderne, démocratique et participatif, basé sur le respect de la loi et sur la séparation des pouvoirs. Il a insisté sur l’impératif d’établir des garanties et des institutions pérennes, assurant l’indépendance et l’efficacité du système judiciaire.
Il a, également, déploré la régression des droits et des libertés, ainsi que l’utilisation abusive du décret 54 pour procéder à des arrestations et à des poursuites, visant à réprimer les libertés.
Il a ainsi appelé à la libération des prisonniers d’opinion, au respect de la présomption d’innocence et au droit de chacun à un procès équitable, dans des délais raisonnables.
Dans son communiqué, l’Ordre a mentionné les pressions subies par les avocats de la défense, en particulier devant les brigades sécuritaires et l’administration pénitentiaire. Il a aussi dénoncé le laxisme de l’Exécutif à l’égard des réformes du secteur judiciaire et l’adoption de lois et de décisions préjudiciables aux avocats, citant notamment le projet de loi réglementant la profession des huissiers notaires.
Une première depuis le 25 juillet 2021, lisez le communiqué très critique de l'Ordre National des Avocats tunisiens sur la dérive autoritaire du régime de K Saïed.#Tunisiepic.twitter.com/P6LYXEsFhF
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) de facto authorities in #Yemen must immediately & unconditionally release human rights lawyer Sami Yassin Ka’id Marsh, who has been arbitrarily detained without charge since November solely for his human rights work.https://t.co/6xyFFs8guj
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) de facto authorities in #Yemen must immediately & unconditionally release human rights lawyer Sami Yassin Ka’id Marsh, who has been arbitrarily detained without charge since November solely for his human rights work.https://t.co/qGU6imxMa9
Nasrin Sotoudeh is an Iranian human rights lawyer and activist who has consistently fought for the rights of women, children, religious minorities and others under persecution in Iran. Over the years, Sotoudeh has spent much of her time in prison, having been arrested for protesting Iran’s mandatory hijab law and resisting authoritarian rule. While in custody in 2022, Sotoudeh wrote to Ms. editors detailing the plight of women in Iran and called for global solidarity around women’s rights.
I spoke with Nasrin and her husband Reza Khandan last month over a Zoom call—arranged by Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross, producers of the award-winning documentary Nasrin (streaming on YouTube and Prime Video).
A transcript of the interview is below, edited for clarity.
Kathy Spillar:Thank you for talking with me today, and thank you both, for everything that you’re doing in the fight for women’s fundamental rights in Iran. It’s inspiring, and we are so honored to be able to cover these issues in Ms.
Nasrin Sotoudeh: Thank you so much, dear Kathy. I know how extraordinary your solidarity with us has been over the years during my arrests. It’s very meaningful to be in touch with you. I’m deeply cognizant of what Ms. [and the] Feminist Majority Foundation have done for us.
Spillar: The work that you’re doing is so critical and we know the horrific conditions that you suffer through when you’re in prison. I want you to know that in addition to covering the Woman, Life, Freedom revolution in Iran, we are also working with a coalition here in the U.S, with Iranian and Afghan women pushing the U.N. to define gender apartheid as a crime against humanity.
Beyond working with the coalition here in the U.S., how can we be of greater help?
Sotoudeh: It’s really important to move forward in a systematic way to make gender apartheid a crime against humanity.
But we women in Afghanistan and Iran are profoundly aware that this is a struggle that we need to wage and win at home. And we certainly learn an enormous amount from what you’re doing on the outside, internationally. What’s taking place in Iran right now is an attempt to reverse the clock and take things back to the conditions before Mahsa [Amini].
The Ms. Q&A with Nasrin Sotoudeh: The Iranian Activist on Global Solidarity, Her Time in Prison and Being an Optimist – Ms. Magazine https://t.co/KcRu60VZAd
— United Nations Human Rights Council | #HRC55 (@UN_HRC) March 18, 2024
روز شنبه ۲۶ اسفندماه ۱۴۰۲، جلسه دادگاه رسیدگی به اتهام شکیلا منفرد، زندانی سیاسی، در شعبه ۳۶ دادگاه تجدید نظر استان تهران برگزار شد.
شکیلا منفرد پیش از این بابت پروندهای که در ایام حبس برای وی باز شده بود به اتهام "تبلیغ علیه نظام" به ۱۵ماه حبس تعزیری، ۲سال تبعید به خارج از… pic.twitter.com/Z71urTn8Bp
وکیل دادگستری که هنگام دفاع از معترضی، در صحن دادگاه، بازداشت و مدتی پس از آزادی به طور مشکوکی جان باخت.
دکتر مریم آروین، وکیل دادگستری در سیرجان بود، وکیلی که در کنار معترضان ایستاد و در جریان خیزش سراسری، وقتی برای دفاع از پرونده یکی از متهمان به دادسرا… pic.twitter.com/ehCUrhCqYJ
Two of the 834 people executed In 2023 , were charged with blasphemy and insulting the prophet- basically for expressing their opinion, but their execution wasn’t met with strong international condemnations! #StopExecutionsInIranpic.twitter.com/kyX6JMaTnk
NEW #Iran REPORT: join us at 11am (CET) today for the launch of the 16th Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran by Iran Human Rights and @AssoECPM which provides an assessment and analysis of the 2023 death penalty trends in 2023 in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It sets out… pic.twitter.com/wGJ8ZCEhTm
— Iran Human Rights (IHR NGO) (@IHRights) March 5, 2024
🇮🇷🚨In 2022, the horror of the use of the death penalty in Iran had already reached alarming levels. In 2023, the situation worsened significantly: there were at least 834 executions in the country, marking a 43% increase compared to the previous year. #StopExecutionsInIranpic.twitter.com/JmIJevilae
— ECPM (Ensemble contre la peine de mort) (@AssoECPM) March 5, 2024
@lifebylaw ۷ اسفند #روز_وکیل بر وکیلهای شجاع و مستقل گرامی باد. با سپاس فراوان از تمام راهنماییها و آگاهی رسانی و ویدیوهای شما، زمانی که آگاهیرسانی در مسائل حقوقی خیلی کم بود.🙏 pic.twitter.com/g3rk1bmIyB
Known for defending women's rights and advocating for freedom of speech, Nasrin Sotoudeh has faced imprisonment and persecution for her activism in Iran. In 2021, she was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine. https://t.co/L3CPKxWo19 (2/6) pic.twitter.com/ZgBZD4LcLZ
Nasrin Sotoudeh is an #Iranian lawyer & #humanrights defender who has dedicated two decades to defending opposition activists & political prisoners. Despite facing personal risks, including imprisonment & solitary confinement, Nasrin remains committed to her cause. #SeeHerLightpic.twitter.com/9VKSkLMtNG
Iranian rights activists say that despite daily threats and harassment, women continue to fight.
"What would our situation look like if there was no Mahsa movement? I dare say it would be much worse," said human rights lawyer @NasrinSotoudeh.https://t.co/cCFvV87pT1
— Guy de la Borderie DES FRANÇAIS SONT DES VEAUX (@BorderieGuy) February 22, 2024
🔵”Oggi 16 febbraio 2024 è partito il ciclo di incontri sul ruolo politico dell’Avvocatura nella difesa dei Diritti Umani. Nel primo modulo “Le avvocate per i diritti delle donne – Da Tina Lagostena Bassi a Nasrin Sotoudeh” si è parlato di linguaggio con l’Intervento … (1) pic.twitter.com/Ae8GcnAFYQ
The @UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of #Iran has released a new, detailed report providing an overview of the information & evidence upon which its recent findings are based. #HRC55
IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers 