Cambodia Bridges to Justice (CBJ) held its latest training in Phnom Penh with the help of International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) and the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC). The event was an important milestone for CBJ, which is supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). The event accomplished two important tasks: launching the new mobile phone application “iConnectJustice” and providing lawyers with practical criminal defense skills.

iConnectJustice is the first of its kind: a legal aid app that pairs pro bono attorneys with people in need of free legal representation. The app is an innovative step toward expanding access to justice in Cambodia. Anyone can download and register to use the app’s services. Within minutes, users can enter case details that are sent to a large community of pro bono lawyers. In mere seconds, lawyers can accept a case and contact the client.

The app seeks to solve two problems hindering access to justice in Cambodia: (1) the majority of society is unable to pay for legal representation and (2) finding a lawyer can prove challenging, particularly in rural areas. iConnectJustice resolves both of these issues by making it easier than ever for citizens to request a pro bono lawyer’s services.

The lawyers at the training were eager to learn how to use the app. Participants predict this app will become popular in Cambodia, and a striking 98.6 % of attendees plan on using iConnectJustice in the future. As more lawyers register with the app, client registration is also expected to spike.

In addition to the app launch, CBJ’s training provided lawyers with practical knowledge to sharpen their criminal defense skills. The training covered topics such as “The Rights of the Accused in Cambodia”, “The Rights, Duties & Responsibilities of Defense Lawyers” and “Effective Cross-Examination and Closing Arguments.” IBJ and the BAKC enlisted Michael Karnavas as a trainer for these modules, a highly skilled defense lawyer respected in throughout the world. He shared his knowledge of the Cambodian judicial system and applied theoretical lessons to its particular challenges. Karnavas engaged attendees by sharing his experiences in court and the lessons he has learned. At the conclusion of the training, all of the attendees stated that their proficiency in Criminal Law had improved.

Karen Tse and Sanjeewa Liyanage of IBJ, experienced in conducting community-building exercises and trainings, encouraged the participants to interact with one another, sharing their stories, values, and visions for an ideal Cambodian justice system. The attendees were enthusiastic about presenting the results of their small group discussions. Six young Cambodian lawyers shared their group’s reflections on current challenges of the justice system in Cambodia and what steps they could take to improve justice overall. The participants showed that they are a new, optimistic generation of lawyers, ready to build a functioning justice system in their home country.

IBJ is proud to announce that three bar associations within Syria have officially adopted the IBJ Syria Defender Manual as a core legal education resource. The IBJ Syria Defender Manual, the first of its kind for the country, will continue to help Syrian lawyers to provide quality legal representation to vulnerable individuals in Syria. Three bar associations in Syria — Aleppo, Homs, and Hama — have recognized the Defender Manual as a “scientific reference for lawyers … and for those who are interested in [studying] the law and criminal justice.” These three bar associations will use this manual as a key document to train lawyers on fundamental rights of the accused, duties, rights and the responsibilities of the defense lawyer, and representing clients traumatized by torture.

Members of the Defender Manual Review Committee

Muhammad Bakri, IBJ’s Syria Program Coordinator noted, “this is such a huge milestone for IBJ Syria and the Syrian legal community. It shows that we are making a positive impact on the lives of ordinary Syrians not only today, but for years to come as an entire generation of lawyers will receive this valuable information and put it to good use.”

IBJ’s Syria program was launched in November of 2017. Despite the tenacious efforts of pro bono lawyers in Syria, thousands of vulnerable Syrians are deprived of legal protection. IBJ has been actively working with and supporting Syrian lawyers (using resources like the IBJ Syria Defense Manual) across the country to ensure that every woman, man and child accused of a crime is judged fairly in a court of law and reduce instances of abuse during detention.

The Committee of Lawyers that Reviewed the Syria Defender Manual 

About International Bridges to Justice (IBJ)

Founded in 2000 by Karen Tse — an American lawyer and ordained minister — International Bridges to Justice is a nongovernmental organization that seeks to guarantee all individuals the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial. IBJ currently has country programs in Burundi, Cambodia, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Mexico, Myanmar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Zimbabwe.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call International Bridges to Justice at +41(0) 22 731 2441 or email internationalbridges@ibj.org. To keep up to date with IBJ’s activities, follow us on Facebook!

The event was an important milestone for IBJ Cambodia’s Program “Ensuring the Right to Legal Representation in Cambodia,” an undertaking sponsored by the United Nations Democracy Fund, which began in January 2019 and will continue through December 2020.

“Finding ways to provide access to justice to poor and vulnerable people”

During the one-day session led by CBJ’s Country Director Mr. Ouk Vandeth, the Municipal Court Prosecutor of Kandal Province, officials from the Ministry of Justice and local police officers discussed methods for providing poor and vulnerable people access to justice. The group discussed the importance of proper identification and treatment of minors, the need to improve lawyers’ access to defendants held in jails and prisons, and the requirement of obtaining sufficient evidence prior to arrest. Participants clarified how they can work together in relation to each topic.

The prosecutor spoke highly of the event, describing it as a “valuable opportunity for prosecutors, officers from the Ministry of Justice, and police officers to get together to discuss ways [to] prevent minors from [suffering] illegal treatment and [improper] identification, and allow lawyers to meet […] defendants in prison.”

Officers listen in as Mr. Ouk Vandeth introduces the discussion topics to the stakeholders.

The police officers agreed with the prosecutor’s request for lawyers to have access to clients in the prison (or police stations) beginning 24 hours after intake, so that accusations of illegal interrogation procedures will be known to the lawyer prior to the trial. Police officers also agreed to advise the accused of their rights while in custody (Article 43 of the Code of Criminal Procedure).

Moreover, IBJ Cambodia’s Technology Manager Phou Pheakdey introduced the new iConnectJustice app and hotline to the prosecutor and police officers. The app and hotline will allow individuals accused of crimes as well as their families to contact available pro-bono lawyers including IBJ lawyers for representation. All parties commended the app and hotline, and gave suggestions on how to advertise and simplify the iConnectJustice program for use by people in provincial areas.

Mr. Phou Pheakdey introduces the iConnectJustice application and hotline to the justice stakeholders.

IBJ’s work in Cambodia

Cambodians continue to confront challenges as the country rebuilds its judicial system two decades following the end its internal conflict. Numerous obstacles to justice exist, and the accused are regularly deprived of due process rights. Bureaucratic challenges together with a shortage of lawyers — especially in the provinces — has constrained early access to a lawyer by the accused. IBJ aims to amplify people’s legal rights and prevent violations of due process through providing early access to lawyers in over ten provinces. As a part of this mission, IBJ trains defense lawyers via live and online training sessions. IBJ also promotes rights awareness by organizing street law campaigns, radio talk shows, and other public events. Finally, IBJ hosts roundtables such as this one to help create a collaborative platform among justice stakeholders to seek solutions to problems affecting effective and efficient access to justice to vulnerable populations.

IBJ’s newest initiative in Cambodia involves the development of accessibility tools such as the iConnectJustice app, a legal hotline, and an automated Facebook bot system. These tools will not only help individuals to have greater access to lawyers, but will also help lawyers to access legal information and manage their caseloads. Furthermore, IBJ will be able to track legal needs across Cambodia using data obtained through the tools.

Contact details and further information

If you have any questions about IBJ’s country program in Cambodia, please contact:

Sanjeewa Liyanage                                        or                     Ouk Vandeth

International Program Director, IBJ                                        Country Director, CBJ

Phone: +41(0) 22 731 24 41                                                  Phone: +855 70 857 529

Email: sliyanage@ibj.org                                                        Email: ibj_vandeth@online.com.kh

To follow IBJ’s project in Cambodia, connect with IBJ on Facebook.

Geneva, Switzerland – 18 December 2018 – IBJ today announced the launch of a new project in Cambodia, funded by The United Nations Democracy Fund. The project will commence on 1 January 2019 and run over 24 months. It will result in the creation of legal rights knowledge online tools for the public; early access to justice for vulnerable individuals living in Cambodia; and policy reform to increase the capacity of Cambodia’s legal system.

Project deliverables and objectives

The project aims to amplify people’s legal rights, facilitate access to justice and prevent violations of due process through the development of technology tools such as the iConnectJustice mobile application and the call and SMS system. These legal tools will enable the accused, friends and family to learn their rights and reach lawyers for legal assistance. Additionally, the project will also organize collaborative roundtables between lawyers, members of the judiciary and legal advocates to promote the iConnectJustice tools and advocate for the adoption of policy resolutions that increase the capacity of the local legal defense community.

IBJ’s work in Cambodia

IBJ has been working on the ground in Cambodia since 2005. IBJ provides access to high quality free legal aid services to the poorest in 15 out of 25 provinces and in the Court of Appeal, supported through its seven Defender Resource Centers. In Cambodia, IBJ provided legal representation to over 7000 people, and twice as many through its Community Legal Awareness events.

Added to that, IBJ has conducted over 70 Prison Legal Awareness events and close to 50 roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the legal field, from judges to defenders, prosecutors and police. The widest impact to date has been achieved through 32 radio awareness campaigns reaching millions of Cambodians at a public level, and through over 20 defender/ justice sector officials joint training workshops at provincial policy levels.

About UNDEF

UNDEF was created by UN Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan in 2005 as a United Nations General Trust Fund to support democratization efforts around the world. It was welcomed by the General Assembly in the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit (A/RES/60/1, paragraphs 136-137), (click here to read the PDF).  UNDEF funds projects that empower civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. The large majority of UNDEF funds go to local civil society organizations -both in the transition and consolidation phases of democratization.

About IBJ

In recognition of the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) is dedicated to protecting the basic legal rights of ordinary individuals in developing countries. Specifically, IBJ works to guarantee all individuals the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial.

For further information, please contact (media requests):

International Bridges to Justice
Sanjeewa Sliyanage
International Program Director
Phone: +41(0) 22 731 24 41
Email: sliyanage@ibj.org

December 18, 2018  Geneva, Switzerland.  The IBJ Syria project team members, with the help of Hasan al Mousa, Secretary of Aleppo Bar Association and IBJ Coordinator in Aleppo, successfully conducted two breakthrough roundtables addressing much needed justice reform in a country in preparation for the post-war era. The first roundtable held in Aleppo in November 2018 was titled “Early Access to Justice for the Accused”, followed by a second highly successful one in Idlib early December which discussed “Early Access to Justice particularly for Women and Children”.

Both events were integral milestones of IBJ’s Syria Program, “Supporting and strengthening the capacities of Syrian justice sector actors” (launched in November 2017) which is supported by International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC) in Sweden through a project funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SiDa).

Incompatible with Human Rights Standards

Although the Syrian law is the country-specific law that IBJ employs within its work in Syria, the law contains key areas that are incompatible with international human rights standards. For example, the Syrian law does not grant the accused the right to silence nor does it give the accused the right to counsel during the detention process.  Husein Bakri of IBJ Syria comments:

“These loopholes often create an environment for violations such as torture, forced confession, illegal detentions and unlawful arrests to occur. As a result, detainees and the accused may face an unfair procedures, or worse, they may be denied due process altogether, ending up in criminal security branches.”

Idlib Roundtable: “Early Access to Justice Particularly for Women and Children”

While citizens of countries with an established Rule of Law and equal opportunities for women may not see it as a success, it was indeed exactly that for our Syrian country team:  There was one woman among many men discussing “Early Access to Justice in Particular for Women and Children” at the roundtable held in Idlib  December 13, 2018. This is a breakthrough, perhaps best expressed in the words of Laila Adolaat, a Syrian human rights lawyer at Chatham House during the seminar highlighting ILAC’s key findings from their 2017 Justice Sector Assessment in Syria:

“The struggle for control over the justice sector has been described as a dance, but we should never forget that this is a dance where one of the dancers is a lawyer and the other has an AK47,” said Laila Adolaat, a Syrian human rights lawyer at the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom. “One should also note that this is not a dance for everyone,” she continued. “There are no women participating in this dance, only men of a certain class and with the right connections. It is repeating a pattern that is at the heart of the original conflict in Syria.”

At the core of the discussions held by a group of lawyers, judges, and Free Syrian Police (FSP) officers was the issue of early access to justice for women and children. They emphasized the importance of facilitating defense procedures in order to give women and children better access to justice in the early stages of the judicial process, for instance at police stations. They stressed the importance of providing vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, with the means to be able to access their rights; namely, the right to a legal counsel.

The group reiterated the need to have specialized police departments and personnel to deal with women and children accused of misdemeanors and felonies because those groups are marginalized. They also stressed the need to apply the Bill of Rights, especially when dealing with women and children.

As per the Justice Sector Assessment 2017 report by ILAC, Status of women in Syria, women face particular threats and challenges when they come into contact with the Syrian justice system. The report states that, “The extent to which existing Syrian laws explicitly afford greater rights to men than women, (…), has had a continued impact on the status afforded to women in areas that have fallen outside the control of the government after 2011.”

It further explains that the legal aid system in Syria is ineffective although it’s stipulated in the law, and lawyers generally do not accept pro bono cases. While the cost of obtaining a lawyer is a barrier to access to justice for both men and women, lack of pro bono services may disproportionately impact women, as they often lack control over household finances. Under Sharia law, a husband must provide for his wife, including legal assistance if needed. However, that does not happen all the time. Men generally control the family finances, which can result in women’s inability to retain private legal assistance.

Similar to the Aleppo roundtable held in November 2018, the event received national interest from the media and was reported on by al-Jisr TV, recorded in Arabic on YouTube.

(Please note, we will update this release with an English subtitled version in due course.)

Aleppo Roundtable: Access to Justice for the Accused

Various actors within the Aleppo justice system convened on November 27, 2018, to discuss ways to enforce fundamental international human rights principles on which the Syrian law is silent, in particular the following three topics: early access to justice; the right to silence; and the relationship between the prosecution and the judicial police. All topics were followed through with an implementable action plan. Says Husein:

“The event was a valuable opportunity for lawyers, judges, police officers, and other actors in the justice sector to get together to discuss ways for preserving the dignity and rights of the accused and the need for a district attorney at police stations”.

Multi-stakeholders finding consensus at Aleppo, Syria.

The one-day event was attended by the president and members of the branch of the Free Bar Association in Aleppo, including many judges of the judiciary, the prosecution, and the head of judicial inspection in the liberated areas. In addition, several officers of the “Free Syrian Police (FSP)” (dissidents from the Assad regime) FSP district commanders, and police departments in the liberated areas, as well as the head of the “Syrian Organization for the Abolition of Prisoners and Detainees” and a number of free Syrian lawyers contributed to finding solutions to much needed justice reform challenges.

Results and next steps

Discussing next steps and commitment at the Aleppo roundtable.

All stakeholders agreed to assign a public defender to anyone who is being accused at the early stages of the criminal justice process, as well as to ensuring district attorneys’ oversight of the police investigatory work during pre-trial stages. The participants also agreed to create a committee that will evaluate this proposed action plan. The participants further agreed to fix the loopholes within the Syrian law so that it could reflect and be more consistent with the international human rights standards and international treaties; the law should ensure the right to legal counsel and competent representation at all stages of the criminal justice process.

Participants inside Syria called it “First of its Kind”

The event was picked up by the media and was described by participants as the “first of its kind” in Syria. The Syrian TV channel “Orient” made a video report on the event citing part of the discussion on the right to silence. Orient also posted an article about the roundtable on their website, as well as Alkul Radio which reported on their site that the roundtable was a result of mutual collaboration between International Bridges to Justice and the Aleppo Bar Association.

(Please note that the TV footage in the YouTube link is in Arabic. A translated version is to follow.)

IBJ’s work in Syria

IBJ launched its Syria program in 2017, making it the most recent project that the international human rights organization is involved in. There is a great need for access to legal counsel in Syria, with many regions of the country deprived of systemic legal aid leaving hundreds, if not thousands of vulnerable Syrians deprived of legal protection. Given the fact that Syrian lawyers are highly reluctant to accepting pro bono cases, IBJ is focusing on assisting lawyers in Syria on pro bono legal cases; by doing so, IBJ ensures that every woman, man and child accused of a crime is judged fairly in a court of law to reduce instances of abuse – which most often happen in pre-trial detention, and during investigations.

IBJ’s assistance is rendered by building the capacity of lawyers through training, engaging justice stakeholders through roundtable events, and empowering local communities through legal rights awareness campaigns. Nonetheless, to maximize resources within Syria, IBJ intends to leverage the power of technology to increase its impact and reach, particularly with strengthening the capacity of lawyers and raising awareness of due process rights. IBJ is in the throes of publishing a defender manual to further supplement the legal materials available to lawyers to build their abilities, and to provide them with practical skills that can be used with immediate effect.

This approach will provide IBJ with valuable opportunities to participate at a crucial juncture in maintaining and improving the Syrian criminal justice system.

Who is ILAC?

ILAC is a Swedish non-profit organisation that gathers wide-ranging legal expertise and competencies from around the world to help rebuild justice systems in countries that are in conflict, post conflict, or in transition toward peace and democracy. ILAC started its involvement in Syria with the provision of civil registration services in 2014. In 2017, ILAC expanded their activities to support Syrian legal professionals who will be instrumental in restoring the justice system in a transitional justice process, and this is precisely how IBJ fits in as a partner, together with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Institute; Central and European Law Initiative; International Bar Association Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI).

Contact details and further information

If you have any questions about IBJ’s country program in Syria, please contact:

International Bridges to Justice
Sanjeewa Sliyanage
International Program Director
Phone: +41(0) 22 731 24 41
Email: sliyanage@ibj.org

To follow IBJ’s project in Syria, connect with IBJ on Facebook.

Kigali, Rwanda – 18 August 2017 – International Bridges to Justice together with its local entity Rwanda Bridges to Justice (RBJ) and the Rwanda Bar Association is bringing together 40 lawyers for a high-level training conference on August 21 and 22. The training aims to refine and strengthen the practical criminal defense skills of lawyers so they are better able to safeguard the due process rights of accused persons. The event is supported by Global Affairs Canada, Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) and UKAid.

“For access to justice to be truly universal, everyone, especially the poorest of the poor must have legal protection. Training sessions such as these, by training the next generation of defense lawyers and bringing them together as a community, are a crucial part of making that happen,” said Karen Tse, CEO and Founder of International Bridges to Justice.

Held at the Grand Legacy Hotel in Kigali, the training will be an important way of connecting public defenders and creating a community of lawyers who share a common goal of strengthening the justice system in Rwanda, and enable them to catalyse change towards a fairer justice system for all.

Topics covered include defense strategies, rights of the accused, and several trial skills sessions. The training will culminate in a mock trial allowing participating lawyers to put their skills into practice.

IBJ is proud to inaugurate the training with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Rwanda Bridges to Justice and the Rwanda Bar Association. Embodying the deepening cooperation between vital stakeholders in the justice sector in Rwanda, all participating lawyers will receive Continuous Legal Education points (CLEs) from the Rwanda Bar Association for their participating

IBJ welcomes all press to observe the training sessions, which will be held on the 21^st and 22^nd August 2017 at the Grand Legacy Hotel, Kigali, between 9 AM and 5.30 PM.

About IBJ and RBJ

In recognition of the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) is dedicated to protecting the basic legal rights of ordinary individuals in developing countries. Specifically, IBJ works to guarantee all individuals the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial.

International Bridges to Justice began working in Rwanda in 2010. In partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the Rwanda Bar Association IBJ worked to fill the gaps in criminal legal aid. In 2014, IBJ Fellow Maitre John Bosco Bugingo initiated the creation of IBJ’s autonomous local chapter, Rwanda Bridges to Justice (RBJ), with the same mission as its mother organisation International Bridges to Justice. Through the Defender Resource Center (DRC) in Kigali, RBJ provides the support necessary to motivate criminal defense lawyers, drives the movement to guarantee competent legal representation to the most vulnerable Rwandan defendants, including women, children, and the indigent, and builds a supportive community of legal professionals in the country.

Press Contact:  Estelle Brot

Email: ebrot@ibj.org

www.ibj.org

Program undertaken with the financial and/or technical support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) and UKAid

Ernesto Gutiérrez and his colleagues in the creation of IBJ Mexico.

With 50 pro-bono lawyers ready to work and partnerships settled with a national university, IBJ Mexico has officially registered as the new and first branch office of IBJ in Latin America. Ernesto Gutiérrez, a Mexican defence lawyer, is the one in charge of this feat: from scratch and inspired by the delicate human rights situation in Mexico, he took lead of this project and gathered both the human and financial capital needed to start IBJ Mexico. Following IBJ’s work ethic, this project would not have been a reality without the support by the pro-bono commitment of lawyers: they are both the foundation and game-changer for achieving a rule of law globally.

In a recent interview with Mr. Gutiérrez he described this achievement as a team effort to provide access to justice for a great vulnerable majority of the Mexican society. According to him, the breaking point for his resolution was the disappearance of a group of 43 Mexican students in south-western Guerrero state. There was a challenge ahead: how Latin-American societies dreamed of justice, lacking both an adequate defence system and the financial resources to even intend to access to it.

Ernesto Gutiérrez’s career development was driven by the delicate situation that every Mexican citizen faces. After working in the Court of Justice of Hidalgo, he realised the need to reinforce the rule of law in Mexico and the role lawyers played on this. As he described, “if we have trained lawyers that can provide both quality and transparent work, that would be a great step for IBJ Mexico”.

After a great beginning, there is long but promising path ahead for IBJ México. In a five-year plan, IBJ México envisions themselves as the first NGO in Mexico providing access to justice for Mexicans and leaving a footprint within the reform of the justice sector looking for everyone’s benefit.

Referring to this new stage working for IBJ, he said: “Working for IBJ is wonderful, it gives you the feeling of directly working for your people’s future while strengthening your country’s rule of law.”

]]> http://www.ibj.org/2017/01/ibj-launches-declaration-on-access-to-justice-to-prevent-torture-in-davos/ Mon, 23 Jan 2017 14:21:39 +0000 http://www.ibj.org/?p=18308 Davos, Switzerland – January 18, 2017 – On the occasion of the World Economic Forum’s 47^th Annual Meeting, IBJ brought together government, industry and faith leaders from around the world for the signing of the landmark Declaration on Access to Justice to Prevent Torture at the event “From Fear to Hope: Leadership on the Road to Justice.”

The signing of the Declaration took place at the historic 16^th century Grosse Stube in the Town Hall of Davos, where leaders have gathered for hundreds of years and diplomacy has flourished. The event marked a renewed global commitment to implement Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

At the event, the signatories included:

• Reverend Karen I. Tse, Founder and CEO of International Bridges to Justice
• Tarzisius Caviezel, Mayor of Davos
• Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship;
• Ayatollah Dr. Ahmad Iravani, President of the Centre for the Study of Islam and the Middle East
• Bani Dugal, UN principal representative of the International Baha’i Community
• Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches
• Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Pakistan Minister of State for Information Technology & Telecommunication
• Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, President of the Zaytuna College
• Nasereldin Haghamed, CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide
• Swami Agnivesh, President Emeritus, World Council of Arya Samaj
• Ally Martina Clark, Guerrand-Hermès Foundation for Peace

Support global efforts to advance access to justice by signing the Declaration online.

International Bridges to Justice extends its warmest thanks to the Guerrand–Hermès Foundation for Peace for supporting the event.

 Photos courtesy of Irene Hell from “Friends in Media e.V.”

Tarzisius Caviezel, Mayor of Davos — “The Grosse Stube in the Town Hall of Davos dates from 1564. I hope that this time and the historical surroundings give strength and penetrating power in your work on justice. Thank you for having chosen Davos and our Town Hall for the signing of the Declaration on Access to Justice to Prevent Torture.”

Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; Advisory Board Member of International Bridges to Justice  —  “Three common values that we all share are; First, to respect the dignity of each individual and the diversity of mankind; Second, community over self-interest; And third, to be a steward for the next generation, a steward for intergenerational values. In particular, IBJ is attached to the first value – to give people their dignity. IBJ gives people who are arrested their dignity. This is something I wholeheartedly support. I see that there is a lot to do, but I also see a lot of passion and compassion. And that is what is needed.”

Reverend Karen I. Tse, Founder and CEO of International Bridges to Justice — “Today we have all come together, from many parts of the world, to gather for something that is beautiful; To support defenders as keepers of the dream. IBJ started with lawyers working to give peace, justice and protection. But there is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and we see the same with the work of IBJ. Here in Davos is also a village. Religious leaders, technology ministers, the mayor, the students – you have all come together to make the dream happen. We know that if we work together, if we commit, if we act, it can be done. That ending investigative torture can be done. This declaration is more than just signing a piece of paper: It is a declaration of commitment, our commitment to place whatever gift we have into the greater whole.”

Bani Dugal, UN principal representative of the International Baha’i Community — “The international community has a key role to play in mitigating the suffering of ordinary people. In the future, it won’t be possible for a small group to decide the future of humanity. Everyone, every group, every individual, must take ownership of this issue and do what they can to advance justice.”

Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of Youth and ICT, Government of Rwanda — “Many of you know Rwanda as the country of a thousand hills and a million smiles. But you also know that 22 years ago, this country was reduced to ashes and blood. The genocide left hundreds of thousands of survivors in need of justice. After the genocide, if we had not placed human dignity first, torture would have been used as the easiest and cheapest way of getting information. And we know that the one thing that you cannot get with torture is the truth. Today, even the poorest people in Rwanda have access to justice. And if Rwanda can do this, every country in the world can do this.”

Ayatollah Dr. Ahmad Iravani, President of the Centre for the Study of Islam and the Middle East — “This is a great job that IBJ is doing, access to justice to people who are tortured. According to Islamic law, the most important task is to do justice and be just. If you go back to the Koranic verses, there are tens of hundreds of verses that emphasize the importance of justice. There are millions of people who face injustice at every moment – prisoners, the homeless, those who do not have the basic needs of a human being. Justice is at the core of everything. So we ask that God fills our hearts with love and the desire to help human beings.”

Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches — “Justice is a gift, a gift that comes with life. No matter where someone is living, no matter what gender, sexual orientation, age, community, race, or nation, we are all given the gift of justice; and the responsibility to maintain this gift of justice for everyone else. We are with IBJ, with those who are tortured, and those who are at risk of being tortured, in our thoughts and in our prayers.”

Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Pakistan Minister of State for Information Technology & Telecommunication — “When Karen first reached out to me, I was in Pakistan, and the mission she described was something I thought was required to be done. What IBJ is doing should be available in every country. Why should we restrict it to certain places and not reach out to the people who need the help of IBJ the most? We will work together with IBJ in Pakistan. We will work for the girls, we will work for the women, we will work for the needy, we will work together for all those who need us most. If there is justice in society available to everyone, one thing becomes guaranteed: peace becomes our friend and peace is what we are all looking for around the globe.”

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, President of the Zaytuna College — “Justice always has to be understood within the context of mercy. It is so important that we cultivate in our young people a sense of mercy and empathy. Aristotle said that societies collapse when philia diminishes – philia, the brotherly love that holds and binds people together. Mercy and the cultivation of mercy is something that our world is sorely lacking in many places right now. And when people torture other people, it is because they lack this moral sentiment. And so we remember that God commands to justice, but he also commands to mercy.”

Nasereldin Haghamed, CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide — “Justice cannot happen when space for civil society is shrinking. We are at a difficult time when our work is being challenged; when lots of people, women, children, refugees, are abused and left behind. But working together, with other faiths, other organizations, we can bring peace to these communities.”

Swami Agnivesh, President Emeritus, World Council of Arya Samaj — “If we cannot stand up for justice for others, we cannot expect justice for ourselves. So we need to speak here and now because if we do not, then we risk our own lives. In pure self-interest, we should all unite in one voice to say no more torture. If we really mean business, we need to join hands and hearts and all we can mobilize. And International Bridges to Justice should become the rallying point for each one of us. Because without justice there can be no peace, without justice it is a hollow peace, the peace of the graveyard. So I call on us all to stand up for justice together.”

Bhavani Khemka, International Bridges to Justice Youth Initiative — “I have been working with IBJ since I was in high school. I organized peace vigils at my school in Singapore and worked in six different locations in Cambodia to create video stories of those who have been wrongly accused of crimes. These are people who have been saved by IBJ’s lawyers from torture, as thousands of others have been saved across the world.”

Trevor Winstral, Die Schweizerische Alpine Mittelschule (SAMD) — “In the world I see problems that appear too big to tackle. Each solution offered seems to have an insurmountable impediment, whether that be money or power, or anything else. The only type of solution I can see possibly working is a solution in which the problem is concretely defined and which appeals to basic human values. IBJ is one such solution. When I see an insurmountable obstacle, IBJ sees the solution, IBJ sees hope.”

Attendees listening to speakers during the event.

Speakers and attendees gather after the signing of the Declaration.

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia, signs the Declaration during the WEF Annual Meeting

 Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Gavi Board Chair and former Finance Minister of Nigeria, contributes her support

IBJ Announces Its ASEAN Youth JusticeMakers Competition 2015

Geneva, Switzerland – April 2, 2015 – IBJ Singapore is pleased to announce the ASEAN Youth JusticeMakers 2015 Competition.  The Competition will award US$5,000 in project funding to young lawyers, aged 20 to 35, from ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and also including East Timor) who have the most innovative, efficient, and sustainable criminal justice implementation project ideas that aim to eradicate torture as an investigative tool and increase awareness and enforcement of due process rights in their communities.

“Countries in the ASEAN region have come a long way to enact legislation that respect due process rights of individuals and protect individuals from human rights violations. However, these legal developments need to be effectively implemented for people to feel they are truly protected,” said Sanjeewa Liyanage, International Program Director of IBJ. Mr. Liyanage further stated, “Defenders play an important role in safeguarding basic rights of individuals, especially to prevent violations at the hands of the police. I hope this competition will identify creative ideas and innovative individuals from the ASEAN region which could bridge the gap between laws and their implementation.”

JusticeMakers is the world’s first global, online, innovative platform in the area of criminal defense. As of 2014, IBJ has built a global community of 55 JusticeMakers Fellows from 37 countries throughout the world. One of its main components is the online competition, which identifies, trains and funds hidden heroes of justice worldwide who are committed to advocating for positive reform within their respective countries.  The JusticeMakers Competition requires individuals to submit proposals detailing an innovative strategy for promoting criminal justice implementation at grassroots level.  The individual applicants are selected from a vast pool, allotted a US$5,000 stipend to fund their projects and are required to undergo an online training conducted by IBJ Singapore, which are geared toward assisting them in the effective implementation of their projects.

IBJ initiated the JusticeMakers Program in 2008 in an effort to connect defenders in their quest to curb torture and legal rights abuses in their respective communities.  The JusticeMakers Program fuels the international movement towards ensuring that every man, woman and child has the right to competent legal representation, a fair trial and protection from torture as well as cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.  As the result of collaborative efforts and through the use of web technologies, an online community platform was launched, which serves the purpose of building a unified network of defenders, facilitating discussions and hosting competitions which fund projects to curb the abuse of legal rights within participants’ respective communities.

The Competition winners and previous JusticeMakers Fellows form lasting relationships with hundreds of partner organizations across the globe, including but not limited to; governmental and civil society organizations, universities, and national bar associations.  All of these partnership efforts are aimed toward the creation of a criminal defender community which will raise the profile of criminal defense practices and continually strive for justice reform. In this way, the JusticeMakers Program creates an internationally-linked network of national criminal defense communities committed to the prevention of torture and cruel and unusual punishments.  Sensitizing the community to the prevalence of such issues, coupled with gaining the support of local organizations has created a platform by which major reforms have taken place.

For more information about the JusticeMakers Community and to apply for an ASEAN Youth JusticeMakers Fellowship 2015 visit http://www.justicemakers.ibj.org. For specific questions please send an email to justicemakers@ibj.org.

2015 ASEAN Youth JusticeMakers Competition is sponsored by the National Youth Council of Singapore and apVentures.

 About International Bridges to Justice (IBJ)

In recognition of the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) is dedicated to protecting the basic legal rights of ordinary citizens in developing countries. Specifically, IBJ works to guarantee all citizens the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial. IBJ currently has programs and projects in over 40 countries in the world, including Burundi, Cambodia, China, India, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Press contact:  Email: justicemakers@ibj.org, Telephone: +41 22 731 2441

Karen Tse, in Kandal Prison, Cambodia, in April 2012.

When Karen Tse, a San Francisco public defender, arrived in post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia to train defense lawyers in 1994, one of the first things she wanted to know was how criminal cases were investigated. When she asked her trainees, “there was silence,” Ms. Tse recalls. Suspects always came with confessions, the lawyers explained, making investigations unnecessary.

All too often, those confessions—true or otherwise—resulted from abuse in custody, even in cases involving children. Ms. Tse met a 12-year-old Cambodian boy in jail after he’d been severely beaten into confessing to the theft of a bicycle; he had no prospects for a trial. In places where the rule of law is weak, Ms. Tse says, “torture is the cheapest form of investigation.”

She spent three years in Cambodia, where the public defenders she trained made history when a theft case against a vegetable seller was thrown out by a judge who agreed, after seeing cigarette burns on the vendor’s body, that her confession had been extracted under duress. Ms. Tse then returned to the U.S., earned a degree from Harvard Divinity School and, in 2000, founded International Bridges to Justice, or IBJ, a nonprofit organization that promotes judicial reform and advocates for systematic, early access to counsel for prisoners.

The Geneva-based group—supported over the years by foundations, private donations, the U.N., the State Department and others—works in Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, India, China and Cambodia. It has trained 22,000 defense lawyers, most of them in China, and launched rights awareness campaigns that it says reach 25 million people. The group also trains police and works with activists and legal defenders in 37 countries through its “JusticeMakers” program, which supports innovative approaches to criminal justice reform.

Most countries where torture occurs already have laws on the books mandating the right to counsel and the right not to be tortured. Improving public awareness of these laws and ensuring early access to competent defense lawyers significantly reduces abuse in detention, Ms. Tse says. Between 2001 and 2012, the torture rate for prisoners represented by IBJ-affiliated lawyers, who work in 22 of Cambodia’s 25 provinces, dropped from nearly 100% to just 1.3%, the group says.

Karen Tse, in Kandal Prison, Cambodia, in April 2012.

Most of the world’s 3.2 million people now imprisoned and awaiting trial “are not political prisoners,” Ms. Tse notes. Unlike dissidents, whose high-profile cases often may catch the eye of human rights defenders, “these are everyday, average, poor people,” accused of petty or violent crimes. They are also among the least likely to have access to a lawyer or to know their rights. “The majority of people who are tortured in the world are the poorest of the poor,” Ms. Tse says.

Ms. Tse, 50, is a Cleveland native, a mother of two and the daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong. She is also an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. “Traditionally, the way people deal with human rights is after torture and violations have occurred,” she says. “We’re about prevention. We want to make sure darkness doesn’t have the final word.”