Joint statements to the UN Human Rights Council

We joined with international non-governmental organisations for a session on the independent international fact-finding missions at the 48th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.

We've issued multiple joint statements outlining our concerns and calling on the UN Human Rights Council to take action to defend the rule of law:

Belarus

We're concerned that the human rights situation in Belarus has deteriorated and that the persecution and repression of legal professionals, journalists, human rights defenders and political opponents is ongoing.

Find out what we've called for in Belarus

Iran and Turkey

We're concerned that Iran and Turkey are systematically criminalising and imprisoning lawyers as a strategy to deny human rights defenders and political opponents their right to independent, effective legal representation.

Find out what we've called for in Iran and Turkey

Myanmar, Colombia and China

We're concerned by the lack of effective engagement with the universal periodic review process by Myanmar, Colombia and China while lawyers and defenders continue to be at risk.

Find out what we've called for in Myanmar, Colombia and China

The Philippines

Since 2001, at least 197 members of the legal profession have been murdered in the Philippines, with killings of lawyers escalating since president Duterte took office in July 2016.

Since then, there have been at least 58 work-related murders of lawyers, judges and prosecutors – with only a handful of investigations leading to prosecutions.

Find out what we've called for in the Philippines

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