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January 24, 2020

In support of lawyers around the world who face persecution, prosecution, imprisonment, torture, assaults and even death as a consequence of carrying out their professional duties, the Law Society joins the International Bar Association (IBA) in marking The Day of the Endangered Lawyer.

Canada is fortunate to have a justice system that recognizes the rule of law, where all citizens have the right to seek legal advice from a lawyer who can represent their clients without fear of persecution. In many jurisdictions around the world, governments continue to threaten or harm lawyers, particularly those lawyers who are fighting for human rights. The focus of this year is Pakistan, where lawyers have been subjected to acts of terrorism, murder, threats, harassment and torture over the past several years.

To address these pressing concerns, the International Bar Association is launching a toolkit to help lawyers at risk. The toolkit is on the agenda of the next meeting of the Law Society’s Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee.