BHRC leads international outcry over treatment of Egyptian lawyers and human rights defenders

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales (BHRC) has spoken out today on behalf of lawyers facing persecution in Egypt, supported by an international coalition of Bar Associations, Law Societies and other human rights organisations. In an open letter to President Sisi, BHRC condemns Egypt’s ongoing arrests and detention of lawyers, excessive and...

BHRC expresses concern over freezing of Egyptian human rights defenders’ assets

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales has expressed its concern over the decision of the Egyptian courts to freeze the assets of human rights defenders. On Saturday 17th September, the Zeinhom Criminal Court took the decision to freeze the personal and organisational bank accounts of leading human rights defenders, including Hossam Bahgat (see...

BHRC observes trial of Turkish journalists

The Bar Human Rights Committee has this week sent an international trial observer to the first hearing in the trial of five Turkish journalists in the Istanbul High Criminal Court. The trial involves three former editors (Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Çongar and Yıldıray Oğur) and two former journalists (Mehmet Baransu and Tuncay Opçin) from the daily...

Bar Human Rights Committee welcomes release of Egyptian lawyer Malek Adly

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales has today issued a statement welcoming the release of Egyptian lawyer Malek Adly. Mr. Adly was released from jail on 28 August, having been detained since May 2016 for criticising the Egyptian government’s decision to grant Saudi Arabia control of two islands in the Red Sea....