News

To: Ms. Margaret Satterthwaite UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Ms. Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders Ms. Mai Sato UN Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran Mr. Alain Berset Secretary General of the Council of Europe Mr. Michael O'Flaherty Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Ms. Roberta Metsola  President of the European Parliament Mr. Antуnio Costa President of the Europe

On October 7, 2025, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow submitted to the Chamber of Advocates of the city of Moscow a representation on the termination of the status of advocates Yuliy Tay, Alexey Basistov, and Dmitry Provodin on the basis of subparagraph 7 of paragraph 2 of Article 17 of Federal Law No. 63-FZ of May 31, 2002 «On Advocacy and the Legal Profession in the Russian Federation» (hereinafter referred to a

Two materials are presented for your attention. The first contains an Allegation Letter (AL RUS 13/2025), sent on December 29, 2025, by five UN mandate holders to the Government of the Russian Federation. The Communication notes a profound institutional crisis within the Russian legal profession, manifested in the violation of the basic principles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The UN Special Rapporteurs explicitly condemn the vicious practice of

OIAD stated [1], that it is deeply concerned about the worsening of the charges against Ms Bontsler, who has been detained since May 2025. On March 5, 2026, the charges against the lawyer were reclassified from “confidential cooperation with a foreign state, international, or foreign organization” to “high treason”, an offence punishable by up to life imprisonment. This new charge supersedes the initial allegations, without any new evidence having been presented. The charges

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) condemns [1] the decision by the Russian investigative authorities to charge Kaliningrad lawyer and human rights defender Maria Bontsler with “State treason”, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment. The ICJ considers that Bontsler, who was previously charged with “confidential cooperation with a foreign State”, is being prosecuted for the exercise of her legitimate professional activities. The ICJ calls on the

In the Issue 6 (77) 2025 of the international scientific and practical law journal “Eurasian Advocacy”, the following documents of the International Association of Russian Advocates are published: a Statement and Petition based on the Report of the International Coalition in Support of the International Day of Lawyers at Risk – 2026 (United States of America), a statement by the General Council of the Association “Tunisia: international legal community calls for the release o

27/02/2026 The undersigned legal and human rights organisations express their grave concern regarding a death threat directed at Atty. Rey Gorgonio, Chairperson of the Negros Chapter of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), in the Philippines. The threat was issued on 25 January 2026 in the context of Atty. Gorgonio’s lawful professional activities, including the provision of legal assistance and advocacy on behalf of farming communities opposing large-scale planta

The undersigned international legal and human rights organisations strongly condemn the conviction and sentencing of ten lawyers who are members of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom ( Özgürlük İçin Hukukçular Derneği , ÖHD) and of 20 executives and staff of the Prisoners’ Families Solidarity Association ( Tutuklu Aileleri ile Dayanışma Derneği,  TUAD) by the Istanbul 14 th  Heavy Penal Court on 28 January 2026. The unjust sentences, imposed after nearly ten years of proc

11 February 2026 The undersigned organisations strongly condemn the arbitrary arrest and subsequent conviction of Tunisian lawyer Ahmed Souab and call for his immediate release and measures to ensure the conviction is set aside, ahead of the second hearing in his appeal. His prosecution and sentencing constitute a grave violation of his right to freedom of expression and to carry out his professional duties without intimidation or reprisal. A former judge of the Tunis Adminis

29 January 2026 The undersigned organisations strongly condemn the arbitrary arrest and subsequent conviction of Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha and call for their immediate release and measures to ensure the conviction is set aside. On 24 January, a District and Sessions Court in Islamabad sentenced the lawyers to 17 years’ imprisonment and Rs. 36 million fines each over alleged “anti-state” social media posts, following their ar

We, the undersigned lawyers, bar associations and legal organisations issue this statement in response to the findings of the Report of the International Coalition for the Day of the Endangered Lawyer (DEL), 16th Edition – United States of America, published on 24 January 2026. This petition is grounded in serious concern over the documented and escalating pattern of interference with the independence of lawyers, law firms, bar associations, prosecutors, and judges in the Uni

Press Conference of International Coalition for the Day of the Endangered Lawyer- 2026 16 th  Edition- United States of America   22 January 2026, 16.00 CET-18.00 CET (Via Teams) Here is the link for the registration: http://bit.ly/3MNDsUk   The online press conference will include a question-and-answer session with members of the press Opening Remarks :   Symone Gaasbeek  – The Foundation of Day of the Endangered Lawyer Vânia Costa Ramos  – President of the European Criminal

Dear Colleagues! We present to your attention three materials prepared by lawyers—members of the International Association of Russian Advocates and a number of well-known international experts—published in the international scientific and practical journal "Eurasian Advocacy." These materials reveal one of the most resonant and fundamental cases of the modern Russian bar: the "case of lawyer Pavel Ivlev." Among the materials are: 1. Interview with advocate Pavel Ivlev: «In

The General Council of the International Association of Russian Advocates (Association Internationale d'Avocats Russes, Strasbourg) expresses its protest in connection with the flagrant facts of pressure, illegal searches, and interference in the professional activities of lawyers (advocates) Emil Kurbedinov and Edem Semedlyaev, as well as jurists Elvina Semedlyaeva, Lilia Gemedzhi, Nazim Sheikhmambetov, and Rustem Kyamilev in the Republic of Crimea. On December 11, 2025, em

The 22 undersigned legal organisations express their deep concern following the arbitrary detention and conviction on 2 December 2025 in Tunisia of lawyer and human rights defender Ayachi Hammami, sentenced to five years in prison solely for representing defendants in the so-called “conspiracy” case. For several decades, lawyer Ayachi Hammami has been a central figure in the Tunisian legal and human rights movement, working to defend victims of abuse, promote the independence

Maria Bontsler is a well-known Russian lawyer (advocate) and human rights defender, a member of  Bar Association of the Kaliningrad Region. For a long period of time, lawyer Maria Bontsler has been subjected to persecution for her professional activities [1] . In 2022, lawyer Maria Bontsler was held administratively liable (Part 1 of Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation) for a statement in an open court session while presenting the

In 2025, Dmitry Talantov - a well-known Russian lawyer, the first president of the Bar Association of the Udmurt Republic, Chairman of the Board of the Interregional Public Organization of Lawyers and Jurists «Initiative 2018», wrongfully convicted to deprivation of liberty for anti-war statements in social networks, a political prisoner and prisoner of conscience became the laureate of the Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize. At present, Dmitry Talantov is in

In 2025, Dmitry Talantov - a well-known Russian lawyer, the first president of the Bar Association of the Udmurt Republic, Chairman of the Board of the Interregional Public Organization of Lawyers and Jurists «Initiative 2018», wrongfully convicted to deprivation of liberty for anti-war statements in social networks, a political prisoner and prisoner of conscience[1] became the laureate of the Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize[2]. At present, Dmitry Talantov

In response to numerous appeals from lawyers (advocates) regarding the campaign of mass persecution of lawyers (advocates) in connection with their prolonged stay outside the Russian Federation, the General Council of the International Association of Russian Advocates deems it necessary to declare the following. On April 22, 2024, Federal Law No. 83-FZ «On Amendments to the Federal Law «On Advocacy and the Legal Profession in the Russian Federation»» was adopted [1] . The la

The provision stipulating that a Russian attorney may be deprived of their professional status for residing abroad for more than one year is manifestly unconstitutional.   Disbarment may only be imposed on the basis of a proven disciplinary offense, committed with fault and established in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law. However, the mere fact of residing abroad does not constitute any form of wrongdoing — disciplinary or otherwise.The legal nature of this cir