Lawyers Weekly Australia reports
In a letter to the NSW Police Commissioner, a legal body has expressed concern over the way volunteer Legal Observers are being treated at protests across the city.
In a letter addressed to Commissioner Michael Fuller APM, president of NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) Pauline Wright raised concerns over the treatment of volunteer Legal Observers by police at a number of protests in Sydney during recent months.
Legal observer Jayfel Tulabing-Lee being roughed up by a NSW Police officerÂ
New footage shows police dislocating legal observer’s wrist at USYD protest
Ms Wright wrote that the function of Legal Observers is neither respected or understood properly by Sydney police and immediate action needs to be taken.
Ms Wright wrote that the function of Legal Observers is neither respected or understood properly by Sydney police and immediate action needs to be taken.
While the presence of Legal Observers is generally requested by protest organisers, they act as an independent part of the protest itself and do not take part.
Generally unpaid volunteers, their role is to improve the accountability of the police and protect the rights of the protesters. Legal Observers hand out information cards, brief people about their legal rights and document the protest through note-taking, photographs and video interactions.
They are recognised as human rights defenders by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and therefore fall under the protection of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders
