To mark the European Day of Justice, MEPs from the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Subcommittee on Human Rights discussed the situation of lawyers worldwide with experts.
Following a joint committee meeting on 20 October, Legal Affairs Committee chair Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe, Bulgaria) and Human Rights Subcommittee chair Mounir Satouri (Greens/EFA, France) stated:
“Lawyers are the guarantors of access to justice and fair trials, and they play a vital role in consolidating the rule of law and in protecting human rights. Today, unfortunately, they are increasingly exposed to threats, harassment, interference and pressure. Some are even subjected to violence and persecution; this is the case of Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani, unjustly imprisoned since July 2024, and for many other across the world.
“The new Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyers is a strong and timely response to these worrying developments. It is the first ever international treaty seeking to safeguard the independence, safety and integrity of lawyers. It establishes clear standards to protect them from attacks and secure their professional rights.
“We commend the fact that this instrument is open to all states in the world and call on the EU and on all countries within and outside Europe to both sign and ratify the convention and implement its guarantees in practice. We furthermore reiterate our deep respect for and solidarity with all the brave lawyers who continue doing their indispensable work with integrity despite the risks they face. A lawyer should never be jailed for exercising their profession. We demand the immediate release of Sonia Dahmani and of all other lawyers who have been arbitrarily detained.”
Background information
Twenty-one states have so far signed the convention and at least eight countries must ratify it for it to enter into force. The experts and guests at the joint committee meeting were: Ramla Dahmani, sister of Sonia Dahmani, tunisian lawyer in detention since July 2024; Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers; Gianluca Esposito, Director General for Human Rights and Rule of Law at the Council of Europe; and Laurent Pettiti, chair of the Working Group on the Convention on the Profession of Lawyer, at the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe.
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