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Internship: blasphemy law review
Organisation background information
The Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) is an international organisation which exists to promote and maintain the rule of law throughout the Commonwealth by ensuring that an independent and efficient legal profession, with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, serves the people of the Commonwealth.

The Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) condemns the excessive use of force by Iraqi security personnel against unarmed Iranian refugees at Camp Ashraf in Diyala province around 60 km north of Baghdad in Iraq. Camp Ashraf, home to approximately 3,400 Iranian refugees, including 1,000 women, came under attack by Iraqi security forces at 4:45 am local time on Friday, 8 April. The Camp residents, all of whom are recognised as Protected Persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, were shot at indiscriminately and attacked by Iraqi soldiers.

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The Bar Human Rights Committee hereby submits its observations on issues related to (i) the independence of the advocate as a cornerstone of fair trial rights, (ii) the scope of defence counsels’ functional immunity and (iii) abuse of process. The Amicus respectfully offers the Appeals Chamber its observations in order to assist in “the proper determination of the case”, pursuant to Rule 74.

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales expresses deep concern regarding the imposition of martial law, and the use of foreign troops in Bahrain. In particular, the Committee abhors the use of violence against protestors which has reportedly left several dead and hundreds injured, and the arrest of opposition leaders.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal
Office of the Prime Minister
Singh Durbar
Kathmandu
Nepal

SENT BY FAX AND POST
London, 18 February 2011

Dear Prime Minister,
RE: The seventh anniversary of Maina Sunuwar

Dear Prime Minister,

RE: The seventh anniversary of Maina Sunuwar

I am writing on behalf of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC). The BHRC is the international human rights arm of the Bar of England and Wales. It is an independent body primarily concerned with the protection of the rights of advocates and judges around the world. The Committee is also concerned with defending the rule of law and internationally recognised legal standards relating to human rights and the right to a fair trial.

Introduction

In early July 2010, the BHRC undertook a mission to observe parts of the trials of two groups of individuals accused of offences connected to protests and tyre burnings. 

The report highlighted the particular concern of the BHRC that during the arrest, detention and trial of the accused there was credible evidence that the following human rights were breached:

Sierra Leone
The 2010 UN Human Development Index ranked Sierra Leone 158 out of the 169 countries for which data was available. This is a significant improvement from earlier years: in 2009, Sierra Leone had ranked 180 out of 182 countries. In 1990, months before the country’s 11 year conflict erupted, the UN HDI had ranked Sierra Leone last of the 160 countries then included.