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Statement of the European Democratic Lawyers (AED) On the Arrest of Two Lawyers During a Peaceful Protest at the Dutch Parliament

The European Democratic Lawyers (AED -EDL), The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy & Human Rights (ELDH) and the Internal Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) express their deep concern regarding the arrest of two Dutch lawyers during a peaceful protest near the Dutch Parliament (Tweede Kamer) in The Hague. According to reports, the lawyers were participating as legal observers in a non-violent demonstration linked to solidarity with Palestine when they were detained by police authorities.
The demonstration was organized to call the urgent attention of Dutch politicians, the government and parliament to the military intervention carried out by the Israeli army against a large group of activists who were attempting to reach Gaza by sea. After the activists were taken from international waters, including several Dutch nationals reportedly held incommunicado at an unknown location, the demonstrators sought to demand immediate political action and protection for those unlawfully detained.
The protest took place at a location of obvious political relevance: the House of Representatives. Participants, ranging from young people to elderly demonstrators, had gathered peacefully to express their concern and to call on the Dutch authorities to respond to Israel’s ongoing violations of international law, including the blockade of Gaza, the denial of basic necessities, the killing of civilians, and the continued disregard for decisions and principles of international courts.
We are alarmed by reports that, instead of facilitating the exercise of the right to demonstrate, the police surrounded the group, failed to give clear and effective instructions, refused meaningful communication, and suddenly announced the arrest of everyone present. Demonstrators were reportedly pushed together into a confined space, held for a long period in cold, rain and wind, and then transported by bus to the ADO stadium at the edge of the city, where they were later released.
We are especially disturbed by the treatment of two observing lawyers, Hans Gaasbeek and Anne van Schaik, who were present on behalf of the Vereniging Sociale Advocatuur Nederland to monitor respect for fundamental rights. Despite clearly identifying themselves as legal observers, they were also detained, arrested and removed together with the demonstrators. The refusal of the police, the command structure and the Mayor’s representatives to engage with observing lawyers is unacceptable in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.
The presence of lawyers at demonstrations is not an obstacle to public order. On the contrary, it is an important safeguard for fundamental rights. Treating legal observers as if their role were irrelevant sends a dangerous message, both to demonstrators and to those who monitor state conduct.
We are further concerned by reports of masked police officers, aggressive pushing, the absence of clear warnings or lawful instructions, and the apparent refusal to explain the legal basis for the mass arrest and removal of demonstrators. Such conduct has an intimidating effect and risks discouraging people from exercising their right to protest.
The signatories of this statement recall that the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are fundamental democratic rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Lawyers, like all citizens, have the right to participate in peaceful public demonstrations without fear of intimidation, arbitrary arrest, or reprisals.
The arrest of legal professionals engaged in peaceful protest raises serious concerns regarding the shrinking space for democratic expression in Europe, particularly in relation to solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposition to the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. Across Europe, we are witnessing an increasing pattern of restrictions, surveillance, and criminalization targeting activists, students, journalists, and lawyers who express support for Palestinian rights.

The signatories further recall the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, in particular Article 23, which affirms that lawyers are entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association, and assembly, and have the right to take part in public discussion concerning the law, the administration of justice, and the promotion and protection of human rights.

These principles is also enshrined in article 7 of Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer signed on the 13 May 2025 by Netherlands which clearly state the right of lawyers to individually and collectively, and of professional associations to promote the rule of law and adherence to it, to take part in public discussion on the substance, interpretation and application of existing and proposed legal provisions, judicial decisions, the administration of and access to justice and the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as to make proposals for reforms concerning these matters

The use of police powers against peaceful demonstrators — especially against members of the legal profession — risks creating a chilling effect on democratic participation and undermines the rule of law. Measures restricting demonstrations must remain strictly necessary and proportionate. Peaceful protest cannot be treated as a threat to public order merely because it expresses political dissent.

The signatories therefore call on the Dutch authorities to:
• Respect and protect the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression ;
• Ensure that lawyers are able to exercise their civic and professional rights without intimidation or arrest;
• Drop any charges or proceedings which could arise solely from participation in peaceful protest;
• Refrain from the growing criminalization of solidarity movements connected to Palestine.
• To launch an investigation to identify the law enforcement officers and politicians responsible for the violation of the rights of the demonstrators and the participating lawyers, and to hold them criminally accountable.
At a moment when the credibility of international justice is under profound attack, protecting the right to dissent is more essential than ever, AED stands in solidarity with the arrested lawyers and with all those defending democratic freedoms, human rights, and international law

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Day of the Endangered Lawyer 2026

Since 2010, the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer has been observed annually on 24 January, organised first by the AED-EDL and then by the Coalition for the Endangered Lawyer, a network of national and international legal organisations and bar associations. The day aims to draw attention to the plight faced by lawyers in the exercise of their profession in a particular country each year, and encourage action by government officials, international institutions, civil society, the media and the public.  T

The Coalition for the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer has designated the United States of America as the focus country for the 15th edition scheduled for 24 January 2026. The selection reflects serious concerns of escalating attacks against lawyers in 2025, including executive orders targeting law firms, harassment, political reprisals and discriminatory measures undermining the independence of the legal profession. Independent lawyers are necessary to protect democracy and the rule of law. The Coalition, gathering about 40 lawyer organisations world wide, will publish a detailed report ahead of the Day to raise awareness and urge concrete action in defense of the rule of law and the independence of lawyers.

Different activities will mark the event, including the publication of a report outlining the problems of US Lawyers on the 21st of January, as well as a press conference on the 22nd of January and events in different countries around the world.

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« Défendre un avocat, c’est défendre la justice » –– Solidarité européenne avec Ahmed Souab

À l’attention des barreaux, associations d’avocats et organisations professionnelles européennes démocrates,

Nous prenons acte avec la plus grande préoccupation du procès imminent de M. Ahmed Souab, ancien magistrat puis avocat tunisien, dont l’audience est fixée à la date du 31 octobre 2025 devant le tribunal de première instance de Tunis.

Titulaire du prix Prix Ebru Timtik 2025 pour son engagement en matière de procès équitable, M. Souab a consacré toute sa carrière à défendre l’État de droit, l’indépendance de la justice et les libertés fondamentales. En tant que magistrat administratif, il s’est opposé à des abus d’un régime autoritaire ; en tant qu’avocat, il a pris la défense de détenus politiques ou de magistrats révoqués, et a publiquement dénoncé l’instrumentalisation de la justice. En avril 2025, il a été arrêté et poursuivi sur des accusations liées au terrorisme, après avoir exercé son droit à la liberté d’expression.

L’AED :

• que l’affaire Ahmed Souab dépasse largement le cas d’un seul professionnel ; il s’agit, de manière plus large, de la liberté de l’avocat dans l’exercice de son métier, de l’indépendance des juges et de l’effectivité d’un procès équitable ;

• que l’indépendance de la justice est un pilier indispensable de toute démocratie digne de ce nom, et que les avocats sont les garants fondamentaux de ce principe ; • que les attaques ou pressions dirigées contre des avocats au motif de leur profession ou de leur engagement constituent un recul inacceptable de l’État de droit et concernent l’ensemble de la profession, non seulement dans le pays concerné mais à l’échelle internationale.

À ce titre, nous appelons :

1. Les autorités tunisiennes à garantir que ce procès – et, plus largement, toute procédure visant des avocats ou des professionnels de la justice – respecte strictement les normes internationales relatives aux droits humains : droit à un avocat de son choix, respect du secret professionnel, absence de pression politique sur le pouvoir judiciaire, plein accès à une défense équitable.

2. Nos confrères et consœurs, ainsi que les organisations professionnelles européennes et internationales, à porter une attention accrue sur cette affaire et à manifester leur solidarité avec M. Souab et, plus largement, avec tout avocat dont l’exercice professionnel est menacé par des mesures répressives déguisées.

3. À renforcer, dans nos pays et à l’échelle européenne, la vigilance contre toute instrumentalisation de la justice, pour que les avocats puissent exercer librement et en toute sécurité, et que les institutions judiciaires restent véritablement indépendantes. Nous exprimons à M. Souab notre entière solidarité. Nous considérons qu’en défendant son droit à exercer sa profession, c’est l’ensemble de la justice démocratique qui est en jeu.

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Ending the Genocide in Gaza, Upholding International Law, Defending the Rule of Law, Democracy and Long-standing World Peace

The  UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel has confirmed in its report of September 16, 2025 that Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.

This determination reflects what legal experts, civil society, and humanitarian actors have denounced for months: the mass killing of civilians, the destruction of essential infrastructure, and the deliberate use of famine as a weapon of war, contributing to the intentional and systematic destruction of Palestinians as a group. Hospitals, universities, schools, and housing have been systematically destroyed. Access to food, water, and medicine has been deliberately obstructed, and famine has been formally declared by UN mechanisms.

This is not a humanitarian crisis caused by natural disaster; it is the direct result of deliberate policies implemented by the government of Israel and its Prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently facing an arrest warrant issued on 21 November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine.

Defiance of International Justice

On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its Advisory Opinion, finding that Israel’s occupation policies and practices, including in East Jerusalem, are incompatible with international law. It emphasized that all states have an obligation not to recognize or aid unlawful situations and to act to bring them to an end.

The UN General Assembly welcomed the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion and ordered Israel to end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory as soon as possible, but no later than September 18, 2025. This deadline has now passed, yet the illegal occupation continues. In fact, the Israeli government has continued to escalate violations: accelerating settlement expansion, pursuing forcible transfer, and openly defying binding international legal rulings. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that impunity is fueling ongoing atrocities and that the credibility of international law itself is at stake.

The AED also condemns the United States’ punitive measures against UN experts and its announced and earlier designated sanctions against judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and is equally alarmed by the measures taken against the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, and human rights organizations engaged in the ICC’s criminal investigation of Israeli members of government. By targeting independent international justice mechanisms, these actions not only obstruct victims’ access to justice but undermine the global system of accountability painstakingly built after the horrors of the Second World War.

Europe’s Complicity Through Inaction

European governments and the EU have failed in their legal and moral obligations. Despite mounting evidence of genocide and the ICJ’s rulings, they have refused to adopt necessary measures, accordingly to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which provides that states are obliged to prevent and punish genocide. Inaction in the face of overwhelming evidence is not neutrality — it can be interpreted as complicity.

Breaking Silence: International Solidarity in Action

The AED also salutes the courage of all the solidarity activists that seek to break the unlawful blockade of Gaza and deliver essential humanitarian supplies. UN experts have affirmed the legitimacy of this action and called for full protection of the Flotilla and its participants. In the face of deliberate starvation policies, the Global Sumud Flotilla represents the spirit of international solidarity and civil resistance against impunity. 

The AED reaffirms its support for such initiatives and condemns the unlawful and forceful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels and detention of the solidarity activists off the coast of Gaza for just carrying out an entirely peaceful humanitarian mission.

Solidarity with Palestinian Lawyers

The AED expresses its full solidarity with Palestinian lawyers and bar association, who are themselves under attack. Israel has bombed the headquarters of the Palestine Bar Association in Gaza, destroyed archives, and obliterated the legal infrastructure of justice, including courthouses, law offices and the Palace of Justice. At least two-hundred Palestinian lawyers have been killed, while those who survive face the destruction of their homes, offices, and livelihoods. (11)

The AED also condemns the U.S. sanctions against Al-Haq, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan), and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) – key Palestinian human rights organizations pursuing international criminal accountability for crimes committed in Palestine – directly and adversely interfering with the ability of Palestinian lawyers to carry out their crucial work. (12)

In the West Bank, lawyers continue to endure daily harassment, restrictions. These attacks not only target individuals but also seek to annihilate the very possibility of justice for Palestinians. The AED recalls that the protection of lawyers and judicial institutions is a cornerstone of the rule of law, and their destruction is itself a crime that demands accountability.

In light of the gravity of the situation, AED urgently calls upon EU governments to take action to establish:

  • An immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, immediate, the liberation of all hostages and political prisoners illegally detained.
  • The recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and concrete steps to end the unlawful occupation.
  • Unhindered and comprehensive humanitarian access to end the man-made famine without delay.
  • Full support for international accountability, including ICC investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for genocide and other international crimes.
  • Effective sanctions against Israel, including the suspension of arms transfers and all international agreements that facilitate grave violations of international law.

These demands are urgent not only for the survival and dignity of the Palestinian people but also for the integrity of the international legal order and the health of democracy itself. To remain silent or inactive in the face of genocide is to betray the very foundations of international law.

The AED stands with all those who defend justice, human rights, and peace, and reaffirms its commitment to fight against impunity, and the erosion of democratic freedoms.


European Democratic Lawyers (AED)F

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Justice Delayed: Lawyers associations condemn the European Court of Human Rights’ Inaction on Lawyers’ Cases in Turkey

For years, these lawyers have faced politically motivated prosecutions in Turkey, marked by flagrant violations of international fair trial standards. They were arrested, tried, and convicted on charges largely derived from their professional duties as defence lawyers, such as attending human rights protests, defending political opponents, or advising clients on their right to remain silent.

Different fact-finding missions have documented grave breaches: judges and prosecutors acting under political pressure, the denial of defense rights, reliance on anonymous witnesses, and punishment of lawyers for performing their professional duties. These findings, which are consistent with reports from UN bodies and leading international NGOs, highlight a systematic erosion of the rule of law in Turkey.

The findings of these missions are not mere allegations but are corroborated by the highest human rights bodies within the Council of Europe itself. The former Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in her official report, conducted a meticulous examination of the ÇHD trial and concluded that the court ‘rejected all requests for defence witnesses, as well as over 100 separate investigation requests… without any reasoning’ and that the very act of ‘the exercise of the profession of lawyer was considered an aggravating circumstance’ in sentencing. Most alarmingly, the Commissioner found that the conviction relied on evidence such as ‘the persons the lawyers represented’ and their ‘participation in different lawful events’, leading her to the unequivocal conclusion that these elements ‘corroborate the allegation that the legitimate professional activities of a defence lawyer can be considered as incriminating evidence’.

This authoritative finding from the Council of Europe’s own principal human rights advocate was published in 2019. It served as an unequivocal, early warning to the European Court of Human Rights that a Member State was judicializing repression and turning the practice of law into a crime.
The Commissioner’s report laid bare a trial so bereft of fairness that it contravened the most fundamental principles of the Convention. That the Court has allowed the subsequent applications from these lawyers to remain in a procedural limbo for years after such a clear and damning indictment from a sister institution is not merely a delay; it is a dereliction of duty. It signals a catastrophic failure to heed its own system’s alarms and a breach of trust with the victims, for whom the Commissioner’s words were supposed to trigger an urgent judicial response, not years of silence.

The credibility of the Court, and the hope of countless victims, hangs in the balance.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of gross violations of fair trial rights, systemic denial of due process, and politically motivated prosecutions, the Court has failed to act with the urgency demanded by the situation. The consequences of this inaction are devastating. Many of the accused lawyers remain behind bars, in prolonged pre-trial detention serving lengthy sentences handed after proceedings that blatantly contravened the European Convention on Human Rights.


Others, including Ebru Timtik, paid with their lives—she died in August 2020 after a 238-day hunger strike demanding the right to a fair trial.

Compounding this injustice is the Court’s protracted procedural inertia in these specific matters. It is a matter of profound alarm that despite applications concerning these mass trials of lawyers being lodged with the Court as far back April 2021, the process of communication—the crucial first step where the Turkish government is formally required to respond to the allegations—has yet to be initiated in numerous cases.

The initial application dated 29 April 2021 comprises complaints pertaining to (pre-trial) detention. Applications regarding the right to a fair trial were made on 15 March 2023.

This years-long delay at the very threshold of examination is indefensible and runs directly counter to the Court’s own established principles on the imperative of expeditious justice, especially where fundamental rights are at immediate risk.

The undersigned firmly denounce the unacceptable delay by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in examining the urgent cases submitted concerning the mass trials of lawyers, human rights defenders in Turkey.

The Court itself has repeatedly stressed the importance of administering justice without delays which might jeopardise its effectiveness and credibility (Scordino v. Italy (no. 1) [GC], § 224) and judged that “Long periods during which the proceedings … stagnate…” without any explanations being forthcoming are not acceptable under the provision of article 6 of the Convention (Beaumartin v. France, § 33).

Undue delay undermines the effectiveness of the right of individual petition under article 34, reducing it to a purely formal mechanism without practical consequence.
This delay has not only left individual applicants without remedy but has also emboldened the Turkish authorities to continue their repression with impunity. The Court’s prolonged silence effectively legitimizes these violations and undermines the credibility of the European human rights system as a whole. For lawyers and defenders imprisoned merely for upholding their professional responsibilities, justice delayed has become justice denied.

We recall that the Court has both the mandate and the moral duty to provide effective and prompt remedies to victims of rights violations. In the face of ongoing persecution and systematic abuse, prioritizing and expediting these cases should have been imperative. Instead, the prolonged inaction signals indifference to those for whom the European Court of Human Rights is their last recourse for justice for our collegues of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and the People’s Law Office (HHB).

We therefore call on the European Court of Human Rights to immediately accelerate the examination of these cases, to issue interim measures where necessary.
Anything less would amount to complicity in the erosion of fundamental freedoms, setting a dangerous precedent for Europe and beyond.

Timely examination and determination of these applications are essential to restore confidence in the Court as the final guardian of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in Europe.

Justice delayed in this context is not merely a procedural shortcoming, delay erodes confidence in the Court itself and weakens the European system of human rights protection

The credibility of the Court, and the hope of countless victims, hangs in the balance.
Justice delayed is justice denied. The European Court of Human Rights must act now!

SIGNATURES
Arab Lawyers Association, UK
Asociación Americana de Juristas
Avocats européens démocrates – European democratic lawyers (AED – EDL)
Defense Commission of the Barcelona Bar Association
European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)
Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer
Human Rights Legal Project – Samos
International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
International Association of Russian Advocates
Osservatorio avvocati minacciati of Unione Camere penali italiane
Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD), Turkey
Republikanischer Anwältinnen – und Anwälteverein e.V. (RAV)
Syndicat des avocat.es de France
Syndicat des avocats pour la Démocratie
The New York City Bar Association

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Joint Statement on the Arrest and Detention of Lawyer Ruken Gülağacı

The undersigned bar associations and lawyers’ rights organisations express their deep concern over the detention of lawyer Ruken Gülağacı on 20 May 2025. On 21 May, the Criminal Peace Judgeship issued a house arrest order against Ms Gülağacı—an alarming escalation that further compounds our concern.


Ms Gülağacı is a member of the Istanbul Bar Association and an executive board member of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (Özgürlük için Hukukçular Derneği – ÖHD), and frequently represents academics, lawyers, and Kurdish politicians. She is also an active member of the Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV), a board member of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH), and a dedicated advocate for human rights in Türkiye.


On the evening of 20 May 2025, Ms Gülağacı was arrested by police officers while visiting Kandıra Prison to meet with her client. She was detained overnight at the police station and transferred the next day to Çağlayan Courthouse, where she gave her statement before the Prosecutor at approximately 3 PM local time. According to the lawyers accompanying Ms Gülağacı, the Prosecutor’s questioning directly targeted her professional activities. She was interrogated about the clients she represents and her meetings with them—actions that are part and parcel of a lawyer’s core duties. It was evident that her lawful professional work, and by extension her right to freedom of expression and association, was being criminalised.


Following her interrogation, the Prosecutor referred Ms Gülağacı to the Criminal Peace Judgeship with a request for judicial control in the form of house arrest. A house arrest order was then issued in absentia, without her being brought before a judge, and solely on the basis of documents. No written justification was provided for this decision, in direct contradiction with Constitutional Court precedent and despite the explicit request of her defence counsel for her to appear in person. This ruling, rendered without even the minimal procedural guarantees, will be remembered as a grave breach of judicial independence and a stain on the rule of law.


We are deeply concerned that Ms Gülağacı’s arrest and ongoing restriction of liberty are directly linked to her work as a lawyer. The identification of Ms Gülağacı with her clients or their causes is a violation of international standards protecting the independence of the legal profession.


Further procedural irregularities cast doubt on the fairness of the proceedings: Ms Gülağacı was not allowed to defend herself in person before the court; and she was arrested without prior formal notification, despite being a practicing lawyer who attends court daily. These factors alone render the arrest procedure defective from the outset and raise serious concerns regarding the right to a fair trial.


These events unfold amidst a broader and troubling context. Türkiye is currently witnessing an unprecedented crackdown on the legal profession and civil society. In the wake of mass protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, hundreds of demonstrators have been detained, often without access to legal counsel or procedural safeguards. The legal representation of political dissidents is increasingly treated as a criminal act in itself.


The measures taken against Ms Gülağacı constitute a direct and dangerous interference with the right to legal defence, impede access to justice, and further criminalise the work of lawyers representing dissenting voices. This marks a deepening erosion of the guarantees of a fair trial and the rule of law.


As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, Türkiye is obligated to ensure that no one is subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention and that any deprivation of liberty is lawful and justified. Fair trial rights, including the presumption of innocence and access to legal representation, must be upheld at all times.

In line with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers:
• Principle 16 affirms that lawyers must be able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.
• Principle 18 provides that lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.
We, the undersigned, call on the Turkish authorities to:
• Immediately and unconditionally lift the order of house arrest against Ruken Gülağacı and the release of all other lawyers detained solely for performing their professional duties;
• Ensure that pre-trial detention and house arrest are applied only as exceptional measures of last resort, with full respect for due process and the right to be heard before a judge;
• End all forms of harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detention targeting lawyers, and refrain from unlawfully identifying lawyers with their clients or their clients’ political or social positions;
• Promptly sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, thereby reinforcing its commitment to the international legal framework governing the independence and protection of legal professionals.

We will continue to closely monitor the case of Ms Gülağacı and the broader situation facing the legal profession in Türkiye.


Signatories:
• Asociación de Derecho Penitenciario “Rebeca Santamalia” – Estado español (ASDEPRES)
• Asociación Libre de Abogacia (ALA) (Spain)
• Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía (APDHA)
• Avocats Européens Démocrates – European Democratic Lawyers
• Bologna Bar Association (Italy)
• CCBE – Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe
• Cooperative of Women Lawyers in Barcelona (IACTA)
• Cyprus Democratic Lawyers Association (CDLA)
• Défense Sans Frontière – Avocats Solidaires.
• Democratic Jurists (Italy)
• Democratic Lawyers of Switzerland (DJS-JDS)
• Deutscher Anwaltverein (German Bar Association)
• European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)
• Euskal Herriko Giza eskubideen Behatokia ( Basque Country)
• Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer (the Netherlands)
• Lawyer Leonardo Arnau, the Chair of the Human Rights Committee of Consiglio Nazionale Forense (Italy)
• Il Centro di Ricerca ed Elaborazione per la Democrazia ( CRED) (Italy)
• Institut des Droits de l’Homme du Barreau de Montpellier (France)
• Institute for the Rule of Law of the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA-IROL)
• International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
• International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger (OIAD)
• Lawyers for Lawyers (the Netherlands)
• Legal Centre Lesvos, (Greece)
• Legal Team Italia
• Le SAD – Syndicat des Avocats pour la Démocratie (Belgium)
• MAF-DAD – Association for Democracy and International Law e.V. (Germany)
• Osservatorio Avvocati Minacciati (Italy)
• Republikanischer Anwältinnen- und Anwälteverein (RAV e.V.) (Germany)
• Socialist Lawyers Association of Ireland
• The Defence Commission of the Barcelona Bar Association
• The Law Society of England and Wales (UK)
• The Norwegian Bar Association
• Turkey Litigation Support Project (TLSP)
• Turin Bar Association (Italy)
• Unione delle Camere Penali Italiane (UCPI)
• Vereinigung Demokratischer Juristinnen und Juristen e.V. (VDJ) (Germany)
• Vereniging Sociale Advocatuur Nederland (VSAN) (the Netherlands)

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On the Revocation of the President of the Istanbul Bar Association.

AED- EDL firmly condemns the revocation of the Istanbul Bar President İbrahim Kaboğlu, and the dissolution of the Board for alleged acts of terrorist propaganda.
 
This dissolution follows the judicial procedure initiated on January 14, 2025 by the Istanbul Prosecutor General in retaliation for the statement issued by the Bar Association on December 21, 2024 condemning the deaths of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were allegedly killed in a Turkish drone strike in northern Syria.

AED-EDL strongly recalls that professional organisations, including the Bars and Law Societies, have the right and duty to express their views on matters of public interest, in particular when they concern the rule of law and human rights.

This dissolution is an instrumentalization of legal proceedings by the Turkish authorities with the sole aim of preventing the Istanbul Bar Association from exercising its fundamental right to freedom of expression in accordance with international instruments and the principles governing the legal profession.
 
The court decision is a clear attack on the independence and functioning of the Istanbul Bar Association, an institution that plays together with the professional organisation a vital role in safeguarding human rights and defending the rule of law in Turkey.

AED-EDL urges the Turkish authorities not to implement this decision which clearly violates article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers

The AED-EDL express its full support and deepest solidarity to all the member of Istanbul Bar Association and its President who are once again facing these measures, which are a flagrant violation of international human rights law and the principles governing the legal profession.

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Turkey must do its part to achieve peace following Abdullah Öcalan’s call!

There is a historic opportunity for lasting peace for Turkey and the region. Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace and a democratic society, shared with the public on February 27, 2025, is a critical step towards ending the long-standing conflict and violence and
initiating a democratic resolution process. This call not only carries great potential for the stability and protection of human rights in Turkey but also for the entire region.


Peace is one of the most fundamental values of humanity and is at the forefront of the universal principles that form the basis of international law. It is also an indispensable necessity for everyone to fully benefit from human rights. As a state,
Turkey must fulfil its responsibilities to its own people and the people of the region, meet its obligations arising from international law, and take the necessary steps to
establish peace.


In this process, creating conditions that will allow Abdullah Öcalan’s active participation in the peace process is of great importance. This not only ensures the protection of his fundamental rights, including the right to communicate with the
outside world and the ‘right to hope’ in response to over 25 years of imprisonment but also provides a significant opportunity for the implementation of democratization and the principles of the rule of law.


According to the United Nations Right to Peace Declaration, the establishment of peace requires ensuring equality, justice, and the supremacy of law; it necessitates building a society free from fear and deprivation, and free from discrimination. Accordingly, it is essential for Turkey to quickly review its penal laws, anti-terrorism laws, and similar regulations in the light of the decisions and recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights and international legal mechanisms, and to implement the necessary reforms. Ensuring judicial independence must be one of the cornerstones of this process. Additionally, for the achievement of societal peace, Turkish authorities need to plan and implement necessary regulations concerning political prisoners in jails.

Furthermore, cultural and social adjustments should be made in line with the necessities of a pluralistic society, and an environment where everyone has equal rights should be created.
In essence, the state of Turkey and the Turkish people are faced with a historic peace opportunity after a conflict process that has lasted 50 years. Authorities are obligated to ensure the cessation of arms and to establish an environment where the people of Turkey can enjoy peace and tranquillity with equal rights and freedoms.

We, the undersigned legal organizations, call on Turkey and all actors of peace to seize this historic opportunity and take the steps required by the peace process. Every step taken towards peace and the strengthening of human rights, justice, and democracy not only holds great importance for the future of Turkey but for the entire region as well. The construction of peace is our common responsibility. In this context, we call on all international public opinion to support the peace call and take an active role in fulfilling the requirements of this call.

There is a historic opportunity for lasting peace for Turkey and the region. Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace and a democratic society, shared with the public on February 27, 2025, is a critical step towards ending the long-standing conflict and violence and
initiating a democratic resolution process. This call not only carries great potential for the stability and protection of human rights in Turkey but also for the entire region. Peace is one of the most fundamental values of humanity and is at the forefront of the universal principles that form the basis of international law. It is also an indispensable necessity for everyone to fully benefit from human rights. As a state, Turkey must fulfil its responsibilities to its own people and the people of the region, meet its obligations arising from international law, and take the necessary steps to establish peace.


In this process, creating conditions that will allow Abdullah Öcalan’s active participation in the peace process is of great importance. This not only ensures the protection of his fundamental rights, including the right to communicate with the
outside world and the ‘right to hope’ in response to over 25 years of imprisonment but also provides a significant opportunity for the implementation of democratization and the principles of the rule of law.


According to the United Nations Right to Peace Declaration, the establishment of peace requires ensuring equality, justice, and the supremacy of law; it necessitates building a society free from fear and deprivation, and free from discrimination.
Accordingly, it is essential for Turkey to quickly review its penal laws, anti-terrorism laws, and similar regulations in the light of the decisions and recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights and international legal mechanisms, and to
implement the necessary reforms. Ensuring judicial independence must be one of the cornerstones of this process.
Additionally, for the achievement of societal peace, Turkish authorities need to plan and implement necessary regulations concerning political prisoners in jails.


Furthermore, cultural and social adjustments should be made in line with the necessities of a pluralistic society, and an environment where everyone has equal rights should be created.
In essence, the state of Turkey and the Turkish people are faced with a historic peace opportunity after a conflict process that has lasted 50 years. Authorities are obligated to ensure the cessation of arms and to establish an environment where the people of Turkey can enjoy peace and tranquillity with equal rights and freedoms.


We, the undersigned legal organizations, call on Turkey and all actors of peace to seize this historic opportunity and take the steps required by the peace process. Every step taken towards peace and the strengthening of human rights, justice, and democracy not only holds great importance for the future of Turkey but for the entire region as well.
The construction of peace is our common responsibility. In this context, we call on all international public opinion to support the peace call and take an active role in fulfilling the requirements of this call.

Turkey must do its part to achieve peace following Abdullah Öcalan’s call!

Asociación Americana de Juristas
Association for Democracy and International Law (Maf-Dad)
Democratic Jurists, Italy (Giuristi Democratici)
European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)
European Democratic Lawyers (AED)
Giza Eskubideen Behatokia (Observatory of Human Rights) Basque Country
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
Legal Centre Lesvos
Legal Team Italia
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), Philippines
Socialist Lawyers Association of Ireland
Swiss Democratic Lawyers
The Defence Commission of the Barcelona Bar
The National Association of Democratic Lawyers (South Africa)

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The Erosion of Legal Independence and Professional Rights in BELARUS

The DAY OF THE ENDANGERED LAWYER is commemorated annually on the 24th of January. On this date, January 24,1977, four trade union lawyers and the employee of a law firm were murdered in their office in the Atocha street of the Spanish capital Madrid, when a group of men broke into their office. These lawyers were assassinated for exercising their profession and with the aim of instilling fear and destabilizing Spain’s democratic system after decades of Franco’s unlawful dictatorship.
Since 2010, and in remembrance of the Atocha Massacre, January 24 has been chosen to highlight the difficulties and dangers of lawyers in the exercise of their profession. Every year the focus is on one particular country, where lawyers are being harassed, silenced, pressured, threatened, persecuted and even tortured or murdered.
In past years, the Day has focused on countries like China, Iran, Egypt or Turkey and the number of organisations and bar associations joining the Coalition of the Day of the Endangered Lawyer has grown steadily, acquiring global importance.

Protecting lawyers from persecution and constraints in the exercise of their work is of vital importance for a functioning democracy.
As such, the UN has set forth a set of principles, to promote and ensure the proper role of lawyers, should be respected and taken into account by Governments within the framework of their national legislation.
Under these basic principles, “Governments shall ensure that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.” In addition, lawyers, like other citizens, are entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly. In particular, they have the right to take part in public discussion of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and the promotion and protection of human rights, and to join or form local, national or international organizations and attend their meetings, without suffering professional restrictions by reason of their lawful actions or their membership in a lawful organization.

These principles, known as the Havana Principles furthermore protect the independence of professional associations of lawyers and the appropriate procedures for disciplinary proceedings to ensure lawyers can work independently and without fear of repression in account of their work.

The Erosion of Legal Independence and Professional Rights in BELARUS
This year, the Day of the Endangered Lawyer is dedicated to the plight of lawyers und human rights defenders in Belarus. The findings of the report, on which our claims are based, indicate a troubling deterioration of the situation of lawyers in Belarus since 2020. In fact, there seems to be persistent trend in Belarus where legal practitioners face increasing criminal sanctions, arbitrary detentions, and systemic interference in their professional duties.
The legal framework and practices currently observed in Belarus deeply infringe on lawyers’ rights by enforcing excessive restrictions on freedom of expression, arbitrarily interpreting and applying these restrictions, and penalising participation in lawful international activities. There is a critical need for reform and strict adherence to legal principles that protect the independence and professional activities of lawyers to restore fairness and justice within the legal system in Belarus.
Furthermore, the combination of state bodies, bar associations, and state media has created an atmosphere of intimidation that severely impacts the legal profession’s integrity. Such an atmosphere not only targets individual lawyers but also seeks to inhibit the entire legal community from effectively performing their duties, thus directly infringing on the rights of clients and compromising the integrity of legal defense, especially in politically sensitive cases.
The Belarusian state’s actions contravene both national laws and international standards. These actions include misusing ethical standards to sanction lawyers for their professional and public expressions, thereby stifling dissent and curbing lawful advocacy. This systemic assault is aimed at silencing the legal community and inhibiting its ability to uphold democratic principles and human rights effectively.


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Day of the Endangered Lawyer, 15th Edition: BELARUS

Since 2010, the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer has been observed annually on 24 January, organised first by the AED-EDL and then by the Coalition for the Endangered Lawyer, a network of national and international legal organisations and bar associations. The day aims to draw attention to the plight faced by lawyers in the exercise of their profession in a particular country each year, and encourage action by government officials, international institutions, civil society, the media and the public. 

This year, 2025, the Day of the Endangered Lawyer spotlights the persecution of lawyers in Belarus, who face systematic harassment and interferences with their professional activities. Following the Presidential election and mass protests in 2020, a crackdown by the government has resulted in the targeting of lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders, and dissidents. The evidence in this report indicates a persistent and troubling trend in Belarus where legal practitioners face increasing criminal sanctions, arbitrary detentions, and systemic interference in their professional duties.

On the 22nd of January a press conference will take place to explain the difficult situation of lawyers in Belarus.