New UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of Judges and Lawyers

January 13, 2017

The newly appointed person serving the post is Diego García-Sayán (Peru) (starting with January 2017). The special rapporteur reviews individual complaints and reports on attacks to the independence of judges and lawyers. It appeals to governments, conducts country visits and presents annual reports. This position was created by the UN in 1994 in response to increasing reports on attacks on the independence of judges, lawyers and court officials. The position is assumed by the Human Rights Council within the UN and the mandate has been renewed several times since 1994.

The office of the Special Rapporteur gathers information on relevant cases through a survey, the results of which have been published in an annual report from August 2016. It contains a summary of recent activities of the Special Rapporteur with notes on the international rights for lawyers, references to court cases and recommendations to governments, bar associations and international legal professional associations.

http://peco.ccbe.eu/new-un-special-rapporteur-on-the-independence-of-judges-and-lawyers/

UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers: “States should respect and protect lawyers who promote and defend human rights defenders”

October 21, 2016

The report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Judges and Lawyers will be presented to the UN General Assembly today, 21 October 2016. The report gives clear recommendations on the actions States and bar associations should take to ensure the independence of lawyers.

The Special Rapporteur recalls that “a significant number of attacks against lawyers and restrictions to the free and independent exercise of the profession” have been brought to the attention of successive Special Rapporteurs. She calls on States to “acknowledge, respect and protect the status of lawyers who promote and defend human rights defenders,” and to “adopt domestic legislation that recognises the vital and important role played by lawyers in upholding the rule of law and promoting human rights.”

Read the report of the Special Rapporteur in English or in Russian.

Florian Irminger, Head of Advocacy at Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF), commented: “Lawyers are instrumental in the protection of human rights and human rights defenders, but they face increasing threats to themselves and to their work. This report by the Special Rapporteur highlights these threats and elaborates on the need to support these lawyers. It outlines strong guarantees and immunities for lawyers working on human rights and gives clear recommendations on to implement them. States and bar associations must implement these recommendations, and the international community must ensure that they do so.”

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http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/21963.html

UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGES AND LAWYERS REPORT:

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/068/03/PDF/G1606803.pdf?OpenElement (ENGLISH)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/068/04/PDF/G1606804.pdf?OpenElement (FRANCAIS)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/068/06/PDF/G1606806.pdf?OpenElement (ESPANOL)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/068/01/PDF/G1606801.pdf?OpenElement (ARABIC)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/068/02/PDF/G1606802.pdf?OpenElement (CHINESE)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/068/05/PDF/G1606805.pdf?OpenElement (RUSSIAN)