October 11th was the UN International Day of the Girl. BHRC marked the occasion by chairing a panel discussion after the screening of India’s Daughter at the Regent Street cinema in London. The event was organised by Plan UK and was part of its Because I’m a Girl campaign. Panellists: Film Director Leslee Udwin, Plan...
BHRC has joined with other international organisations to express its concern at the ongoing detention of Colombian human rights defender, David Ravelo Crespo. 14th September 2015 marked five years since Mr Ravelo Crespo was arrested. International organsiations have sought to reiterate their concern over the lack of due process in this case which resulted in...
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 Thursday 16th July, BHRC hosted a seminar at Doughty Street Chambers where a diverse panel discussed the introduction of FGM Protection Orders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The changes succeeded an investigation into the Government’s failure to protect those within its jurisdiction against FGM. In February 2014, the BHRC gave evidence to the...
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 29th June, BHRC and the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law held a joint seminar on the topic of human rights in the Middle East. Speaking on the panel were Dr. Vida Hamd, Policy Officer for Political and Humanitarian Affairs at the Dutch Embassy in Beirut; Schona Jolly, BHRC Executive Committee member...
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 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.