The Bar Human Rights Committee will be hosting a virtual seminar on Thursday 22 May 2025 (12:00-15:00 UK), spotlighting serious concerns for human rights and rule of law, protest rights / freedom of expression, and judicial independence amidst escalating attacks on judges, lawyers and protesters in Hong Kong, Turkey and most recently, the United States.
In three parts, the seminar aims to examine and highlight serious concerns regarding the erosion of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. In particular, the event will address both entrenched challenges and emerging threats posed by democratic backsliding and the rise of authoritarian practices.
Post-event, the discussion will be synthesised in a report with a series of actionable recommendations for how the international legal community can support and protect judges, lawyers, protesters and human rights defenders in the three jurisdictions being examined. Our speakers and session chairs include:
Ambassador Eric Rubin, former US Ambassador to Bulgaria & Senior Advisor, American Academy for Diplomacy
Alka Pradhan, Human rights lawyer
Dr Rachel Barnes KC, Barrister & BHRC Executive Committee Member
Steve Cragg KC, Former Chair of BHRC
Professor Johannes Chan SC (Hon), Professor of Human Rights, Constitutional and Administrative Law, UCL; Author of forthcoming book, ‘Human Rights, Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law: An Unfinished Experiment’
Dr Yan-ho Lai (Eric Lai), Research Fellow at Georgetown Center for Asian Law (GCAL); Author of forthcoming book, ‘Legal Resistance under Authoritarianism: The Struggle for the Rule of Law in Hong Kong’
Dr Theodora Christou, Secretary of BHRC & Treasurer of EuroMed Rights
Ayşe Bingöl Demir, Director, Turkey Litigation Support Project – Middlesex University, UK
Emma Sinclair-Webb, Europe and Central Asia Associate Director and Turkey Director for Human Rights Watch
Kerem Altıparmak, Co-founder of Freedom of Expression Association in Turkey, IFOD
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Registration is now open here.
For further information, please contact Dr Louise Loder at the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales.
