L4L – LAWYERS FOR LAWYERS
Helps lawyers in danger around the world
I am supporting Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) for several years already. L4L is an independent and non-political foundation which seeks to promote the proper functioning of the rule of law by pursuing freedom and independence of the legal profession. L4L does this by supporting lawyers worldwide who are threatened or suppressed in the execution of their profession.
L4L has committed itself to enable lawyers to practice law in freedom and independence, always and everywhere, even when that does not suit the local government, bar association or establishment. The objectives of L4L find there basis in international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders of the United Nations.
L4L provides financial, moral and/or legal support to oppressed lawyers and lawyer’s organizations. L4L provides such support by drawing the attention of international legal and political institutions and organizations, and the relevant authorities of the country in which the particular lawyer is based, to the position of threatened lawyers throughout the world. L4L also organizes fact-finding or observation missions and letter-writing actions.
L4L works closely together and maintains contact with the United Nations, the European Union, governments, embassies, universities, individual lawyers and national and international lawyers and human-rights organizations, such as the Dutch Bar Association (NOvA), the International Bar Association (IBA), the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), Amnesty International (AI), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Human Rights First (HRF), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), and Peace Brigades International (PBI).
Whenever appropriate, L4L mobilizes lawyers to provide legal assistance to oppressed lawyers.
L4L was established in 1986 at the initiative of the legal section of Amnesty International Netherlands with the support of the Dutch Bar Association, the Dutch Legal Committee for Human Rights (NJCM), and the Study and Information Center Human Rights (SIM). Click here to support L4L financially.
Karel Frielink
Attorney (Lawyer) / Partner
(30 January 2014)
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