BHRC has joined other organisations in endorsing an amicus brief submitted to the Colombian Constitutional Court in the context of a challenge, brought by a number of domestic and international human rights groups, to a constitutional amendment  (Acto Legislativo no.1 2015) which aims to reform the jurisdiction of Colombia’s military courts. In particular, the Act...

Following the allegations of corruption levelled against Magistrado Jorge Pretelt, President of the Constitutional Court of Colombia, the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) expresses its support for the institution of the Court. BHRC supports corruption allegations being properly addressed, in accordance with the rule of law and due process. At the...

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) has sent an open letter to the President of China following the recent wave of arrests of lawyers and human rights defenders in the country. These people are reportedly accused of causing social chaos through open defiance in the courtroom, on the internet and organising...

On Friday 3rd July, BHRC held a seminar to discuss the peace process in Colombia and to focus in particular on the situation of the San José de Apartadó Peace Community. The community located in the North-West region of Urabá, declared itself neutral to the five-decade armed conflict in 1997, a civilian protection strategy based on...

On Monday 22nd June, BHRC hosted a film-screening of the recent documentary ‘Burden of Peace’ which tells the story of Dr. Claudia Paz y Paz, the first woman to lead the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Guatemala. The film intimately follows Claudia’s struggle against corruption and impunity in her country, focussing on her courageous move to arrest...

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) expresses serious concern about the continuing prosecution of Ms Azza Soliman, women’s rights lawyer and co-founder of the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance. The case against Ms Soliman stems from the fatal shooting in January 2015 – allegedly by the Egyptian police – of Ms Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, a prominent Egyptian activist.

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) expresses grave concern about the death sentence pronounced against the deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, along with over 100 additional defendants in circumstances that raise critical doubt over the impartiality and fairness of the Egyptian judicial system. In particular, the BHRC is deeply concerned by the continued disregard for the right to life apparent in these mass capital sentences.