The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (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. It 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. The remit of the BHRC extends to all countries of the world, apart from its own jurisdiction of England & Wales.
The BHRC was set up by a group of barristers in 1991. The Committee has a Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and an Executive Committee which meets monthly. The principle objectives of the BHRC are:
- The support and protection of practising lawyers and judges who are threatened or oppressed in their work.
- Upholding the rule of law and internationally recognised human rights standards.
- Advising, supporting and co-operating with other organisations and individuals working for human rights
- Furthering interest in and knowledge of human rights and the laws which seek to protect human rights
- Advising the General Council of the Bar of England & Wales in connection with any human rights issue.
This manual is produced as part of a project which seeks to build and strengthen the capacity of Colombian lawyers and human rights defenders to identify, investigate and prosecute human rights violations committed in Colombia.
On this project the BHRC has worked in conjunction with: CCAJAR in Bogotá, Colombia
CCAJAR is the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective, which works to bring high profile cases against agents of the Colombian state to address impunity for human rights abuses.
This project has been partially funded by: The Jomati Foundation
The Jomati Foundation is a UK registered charity, whose primary focus is to provide assistance in the area of legal education and access to law.
