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Since 2010, the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer has been observed annually on 24 January. AIJA is member of Coalition for the Endangered Lawyer, a network of national and international legal organisations and bar associations, that annually organizes the Day. The Day aims to draw attention to the plight faced by lawyers in the exercise of their profession in a particular country each year, and encourage action by government officials, international institutions, civil society, the media and the public.
In 2025, the Day of the Endangered Lawyer spotlights the persecution of lawyers in Belarus, who face systematic harassment and interferences with their professional activities. Following the Presidential election and mass protests in 2020, a crackdown by the government has resulted in the targeting of lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders, and dissidents.
Vague and overbroad national security laws have been applied to silence critics of the government and those upholding the rule of law. Thousands of people have been subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, and prosecution, and have been sentenced following unfair trials. There are also reports of widespread torture and other ill-treatment, as well as incidents of enforced disappearance.
Constitutional and legislative changes have further eroded the independence of the judiciary and legal professional bodies. Such amendments have tightened the executive branch’s control over the judiciary and the legal profession. Accordingly, the fundamental principle of the separation of powers has been extinguished.
The Belarussian government exerts influence over the regulation of the legal profession. The Bar associations lack independence and rather than protecting and supporting their members, these associations are being used by the government to crackdown on lawyers who take on human rights and politically sensitive cases. Lawyers have faced harassment, arrest, and detention, as well as disciplinary measures simply for doing their job. As well as impacting on the rights of individuals this has a chilling effect on access to justice and rule of law.
The Belarusian state's actions contravene both national laws and international standards. This includes misusing ethical standards to sanction lawyers for their professional and public expressions, thereby stifling dissent and curbing lawful advocacy. The process of terminating a lawyer's licence in Belarus notably lacks transparency, representation, and impartiality. The arbitrary nature of these proceedings undermines the independence of the legal profession and fosters an environment where lawyers operate under the constant threat of losing their professional status. This systemic assault is aimed at silencing the legal community and inhibiting its ability to uphold democratic principles and human rights effectively.
There is a critical need for reform and strict adherence to legal principles that protect the independence and professional activities of lawyers to restore fairness and justice within the legal system in Belarus.
In this context, a report was drafted about the situation of lawyers in Belarus which includes a call to the international community and the Belarusian government to improve the position of lawyers in Belarus. The report will be published by the members of the Coalition for Endangered Lawyer, including AIJA, on 22 January 2025 and an online press conference will be organized on that day to present the report.
In addition, several members of the Coalition organise events on the Day or before it. Here is a list of some of the initiatives and events organised in relation to the Day of the Endangered Lawyer 2025:
- AIJA New Year’s Run For Endangered Lawyyers - Online campaing (13-18 January 2025)
- New York City Bar - Online webinar (January 22 2025)
- CBBE, Brussels Bar, advocats.be, FIDH and SAD - In-person protest at Belarussian Embassy in Brussels (24 January 2025)
- Deutscher Anwaltverein - In-person seminar/discussion and in-person protest at Belarussian Embassy in Berlin (23 and 24 January 2025)
- ABA, IBAHRI, Law Society and Lawyers for Lawyers - Online event/seminar (24 January 2025)
- Foundation International Day of the Endangered Lawyer - In-person protest at the Belarussian Embassy, The Hague, Netherlands (24 January 2025).
The AIJA Human Rights Committee encourages all AIJA members to participate in any activity around the Day of the Endangered Lawyer 2025.