The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) has sent a letter to the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, calling on him to revoke recent changes to the Penal Code, which took effect on 3 April 2019, imposing stoning to death as a punishment for practising homosexuality or acts of adultery. In its...
The Bar Council and the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales have sent a public letter to the UK Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt urging him to take action in support of Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. Sotoudeh was sentenced to 38 years imprisonment and 148 lashes for undertaking her professional obligations to her clients...
BHRC published its amicus brief to the Guantanamo Bay Military Tribunal in the case of Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, also known as Ammar al Baluchi. Kirsty Brimelow QC, former Chair of BHRC (2012-2018) and co-writer of the amicus said: “Guantanamo Bay remains a stain in legal history. Currently prosecutions are attempting to secure a footing...
BHRC has issued a public statement regarding the current and ongoing situation in Zimbabwe, following a national protest called for by trade union, civic and church leaders. In its statement, BHRC raises concern over reports of shootings and beatings of civilians and the detention of large numbers of people, including children. There is also concern for fair...
On the 16th World Day Against the Death Penalty, BHRC has issued a statement raising awareness about conditions of confinement in Bahrain, Egypt, Jamaica and the United States–countries where BHRC has taken an active role in advocating against the death penalty. In its statement, BHRC reaffirms its condemnation of the death penalty in all circumstances and...
Following its recent joint side event in Geneva, BHRC joined 5 other organisations in oral statements at the 38th Session of the Human Rights Council urging the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers to address the situation of the legal profession in Turkey and Poland. The statement, read by a representative...
The Bar Human Rights Committee, Law Society and IBA Human Rights Institue co-organised a UN side event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva to discuss the challenges that the Turkish legal profession has been facing since the failed coup in July 2016. The event took place on 21 June 2018 at 15:00-16:00 in Room XXV...
The Bar Council of England and Wales and the Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) have written jointly to Prime Minister Theresa May, urging her to voice concerns over Turkey’s ongoing and large-scale prosecution of judges, lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders with the Turkish President when the two meet on Tuesday. The letter, which has...
The Bar Council of England and Wales, the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC), the International Association of Lawyers (UIA), the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), and the Law Society of England and Wales have sent an open letter to Turkish authorities raising concerns over the rising number of cases...
BHRC has sent a letter to the UK Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, raising concern over the detention, prosecution and treatment of Nabeel Rajab, a human rights defender in Bahrain. Mr Rajab is the president and co-founder of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. On 21 February 2018 he was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment, to...
The Bar Human Rights Committee is the independent,
international human rights arm of the Bar of England
and Wales, dedicated to promoting justice and respect
for human rights through the rule of law.