Upholding The Rule Of the Law

It is hard to imagine a society in which lawyers and judiciary members are persecuted for simply doing their jobs. Yes human rights violations occur continuously in some countries where lawyers and judges are targeted in retribution for carrying out their professional responsibilities.

"A group of benchers was concerned with what we saw happening around the world to judges and lawyers in conflict-torn states" explains HRMG member Heather Ross. When she and former Treasurer W.A Derry Millar presented a motion to Convocation to form the monitoring group, it met with unanimous approval.

Over the past five years, the group has prepared and sent 31 letters of intervention to government officials in 19 countries, expressing the Law Society's concerns over the treatment of human rights lawyers and members of the judiciary. It has also issued 14 public statements condemning the mistreatment of lawyers and members of the judiciary. Many of these documents have also called on governments to reinstate the rule of law.

The work of the HRMG has been applauded and their efforts commended. It is noted that the Law Society has a public duty to preserve the rule of law and prevent the use of the law as an instrument of injustice. The law Society in its actions has made and continues to make substantial contributions to correcting injustices around the world.