This year, the OIAD gathered its members in Rome to share their views on the 2025–2026 period and the Observatory’s future prospects after 10 years of activity. Once again, the OIAD had the privilege of welcoming fellow lawyerq to share moving testimonies at the Assembly, both in person and online.
As with the previous General Assembly, the event enabled a wide audience to follow the discussions on the OIAD’s day-to-day initiatives and proposals for action for the coming presidency.
The first closed session resulted in the unanimous approval of the activity and financial reports for the previous period.
Two years after the election of the Rouen and Bologna Bar Associations to the Paris General Assembly, the OIAD welcomed the Nice Bar Association, represented by Adrien Verrier, to its Board, and renewed the term of office of Antonio Fraticelli, representative of the Bologna Bar Association.
Finally, after setting out its strategic priorities for the 2026–2027 period, the Conseil National des Barreaux (French National Bar Council – CNB), represented by Julie Couturier, took over the presidency of the OIAD, following a year of administration by the Consiglio Nazionale Forense (CNF).
The open session gave the floor to Ivania Cruz, Shahanur Islam and François Munguiko (lawyers from El Salvador, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo), who gave moving testimonies on the situation of lawyers in their respective countries, as well as on their personal circumstances, marked by exile and being prevented from practising their profession.
The 4th edition of the OIAD Human Rights Award, presented by the President of the Istanbul Bar Association, Ibrahim Özden Kabo?lu, honoured Nicaraguan lawyer and HRD Julio Montenegro, for his exceptional and courageous commitment to the defence of human rights in one of the most repressive political contexts in the Americas.
2026 OIAD General Assembly: 10 years of campaigning for lawyers at risk
