On the 22nd of September 2026, International Bridges to Justice brought leaders from government, law, philanthropy and technology together in New York for “Reimagining Criminal Justice: Harnessing DPI and Al for Digital Transformation,” an affiliate session of the International Telecommunication Union and UNDP Digital@UNGA programme, with opening remarks from our Founder and CEO, Karen Tse, and moderation by Kenneth Cukier, Deputy Executive Editor of The Economist.

For 25 years, IBJ has focused on turning early access from an individual act of rescue into a reliable public service, integrating technology along the way. Our forthcoming Paper on the Digital Transformation of Criminal Justice presents a blueprint grounded in digital public infrastructure (DPI) and AI, that builds local leadership and partnerships with governments and other stakeholders to turn this into a global infrastructure.

The roundtable created a space to discuss the potential for DPI to revolutionise the criminal justice system, and ways in which DPI can be developed. Our firestarters brought energy and insight to the discussion:

• Alpha Sesay, Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone
• Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, CEO of Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA)
• Lindsey Crumbaugh of Co-Develop
• Melvyn Lubega, Head of the Digital Services Unit for The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa
• Ashutosh Chadha of Microsoft

Our guests brought their valuable perspectives and expertise to the table:

• Nancy Hollander of Arshack, Hajek & Lehrman
• Jamila Justine Willis of DLA Piper LLP
• Samantha Cousino of Clyde & Co
• Brian Oduor of Batian Peak
• Wayne Chang of Spruce Systems
• Andrew Heinrich of Colombia University
• Allana Welch of Access Partnership
• Naveen Varshan of UNDP

Following this successful event, International Bridges to Justice will continue developing its paper on the ‘Digital Transformation of Criminal Justice: From Challenges to Capabilities: Making the Case for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the Criminal Justice Sector and Providing a Transformation Blueprint’. International Bridges to Justice then plans to support the development of DPI in Cambodia, showing how digital transformation of criminal justice can be done in practice. 

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.”

On December 9, 2014 Sophal and his wife Thea[1], parents of three children, have been released from prison. They are very happy about their discharge and being able to see their children again after such a long time. Even though they were both innocent of any crimes, Sophal and Thea were forced to spend three and a half years of their lives in prison.

From left to right: Mr. Ouk Vandeth (IBJ country director), Sophal and his wife Thea.

This nightmare began back in June 2011, when the police force discovered a body in Koh Kong province. From their investigation it appeared that the man was murdered three months earlier. Police officers started interrogating people and asked Sophal and Thea to visit the police post as well. The couple was uninformed regarding the contents of the interview and they were interrogated separately. Sophal and Thea had a solid and convincing alibi, as they were visiting family in Kandal province, located approximately 350 kilometers away from Koh Kong. Nevertheless, the police reported having eyewitnesses who claimed having seen the suspects at the crime scene on the day of the murder. Thea and Sophal denied this severe accusation and refused to sign the police record stating their confession of guilt. As a result, police officers started threatening with a prison sentence of eighteen years if they would not cooperate.

After three long days of threats and intimidation in police custody – which is in fact illegal as “the maximum duration of any police custody is 48 hours” according to the Cambodian Code of Criminal Procedure – Thea and Sophal finally signed the police record with their wrongful confession. Furthermore, police officers never informed them about their rights and did not even let Sophal make a phone call – claiming they had no battery on their phone.

The unjust police record was sent to the prosecutor who interrogated Thea and Sophal. During this questioning, the couple denied the police record but did no mention of the police threats out of fear for potential reprisals.

The trial hearings took place on February 6, 2012, which was also the day their court-appointed lawyer met Sophal and Thea for the first time. Two eyewitnesses testified seeing Thea and Sophal killing the man but changed their version of the story from the original statements to the police. The defense lawyer requested an acquittal explaining that Thea and Sophal were not in Koh Kong during the murder. Even the prosecutor raised the fact that the eyewitnesses had changed their testimony, but the trial judge nevertheless sentenced Sophal and Thea to seventeen years in prison.

The unfairly penalized couple appealed on March 9, 2012. There is only one Court of Appeal in Cambodia and appeal cases are often pending for a very long time before being heard. Meanwhile, the accused unnecessarily languish in jail. Unfortunately, IBJ does not have an office located in Koh Kong province and can therefore not provide legal aid on a fulltime basis. Nevertheless, Mr. Ouk Vandeth (IBJ Country Director and Fellow) regularly visits the province to take cases of people suffering from the unjust court system in prison. During one of his visits at Koh Kong prison to meet a client, Mr. Ouk Vandeth met Sophal, who had by that stage already spent two years imprisoned without any update regarding their appeal.

Mr. Ouk Vandeth referred the case to the IBJ lawyer located at the Court of Appeal, Mr. Kin Vibol, who then examined it and pushed the court to set a trial date. The hearings had still been postponed several times, but the case was finally heard on November 19, 2014. Mr. Kin Vibol explained that his clients were not in Koh Kong at the time of the crime, that there was no physical evidence proving their guilt, and questioned the reliability of the witnesses as they had changed their testimony.
This trial finally resulted in the release of Thea and Sophal on December 1, 2014. The General Prosecutor of the Appeal Court however, requested a cassation to the Supreme Court, meaning that Thea and Sophal are possibly not entirely done with the judicial system yet.

The couple remains puzzled concerning the false accusations, as they have never had any encounter with the police force or legal system, and had no relations to the murdered victim whatsoever. The acquittal verdict came to Sophal and his wife as a great relief and surprise at the same time. They had no trust left in the Cambodian justice system and their lengthy trial procedure led them to believe that they were facing life in prison. Sophal and Thea are deeply grateful to IBJ for the positive turn of events in their life. Hopefully this court decision is the end of their nightmare, allowing them to peacefully resume their fulfilled family life.

From left to right: Mr. Kin Vibol (IBJ lawyer) with his released clients Thea and Sophal, Mr. Ouk Vandeth (IBJ Country Director) and Mr. Sok Sopheak (IBJ lawyer assistant) in front of Phnom Penh IBJ office.

[1] Clients’ names changed for confidentiality.

Ajay Verma Advocate speaking on Bail

On December 4, 2014 the IBJ India team visited Central Tihar Jail No. 6 in New Delhi to interact with jail inmates and conduct a Legal Awareness Camp inside the Mulahiza Ward (i.e. First Time Offenders Ward). The team consists of Ajay Verma (Fellow & Advocate), Pankhuri A. Mehndiratta (Advocate) and Trishna Mohan Kriplani (Advocate).

The Tihar Jail #6 houses a total of 642 (exclusively women) inmates according to its latest figures, among which there are 29 foreign nationals. A staggering 73% of the entire prison population (472 prisoners) is under trial. This statistic once again sheds light on the issue of overcrowding almost all prisons in India with mainly under trial population. The rules under the Delhi Jail Manual and Delhi Prisons Rules (2000) permit women inmates to keep their children with them until they attain the age of six years. In line with this provision, there are 44 children who are housed in the Tihar Jail # 6 complex as well.

The session was interactive and was received very positively by the inmates and prison administration alike. The IBJ India team identified a number of critical issues that needed intervention. Firstly, there are some issues involving legal documents of prisoners allegedly being stopped from leaving the premises by jail authorities when they are transferred to court. The prison’s Superintendent also noticed the jail inmates’ concern regarding this issue.

Secondly, IBJ India noted a deep-rooted sense of anxiety amongst inmates about the law procedures where the lawyers appointed by the Legal Aid services are perceived to be ‘sarkari’ (government) lawyers. In prisoners’ perceptions, these lawyers collude with state authorities to make them punish more stringently. As Legal Aid services are ultimately government funded, inmates were interested to find out whether they are inclined towards working in favor of the government and against inmates’ interests. Prisoners were then properly informed about the structure of Legal Aid of Government of India, Delhi State Legal Services Authority and also about IBJ’s work in providing access to effective lawyers.

Pankhuri Mehndiratta, Advocate interacting with females in custody

The IBJ India team identified certain cases that required its intervention and has taken them up to be pursued by IBJ’s pro bono task force that actively works in trial courts. IBJ India continues to benefit from the support of the prison administration and strives to ensure the minimization of torture and prison overcrowding. The employed strategy here is early access to legal counsel and advocating the right to bail.

Question Answer Session

]]> http://www.ibj.org/2014/07/trusting-ibjs-legal-aid-services-how-a-client-obtained-a-reduced-sentence-in-pursat-province/ Sat, 12 Jul 2014 11:35:02 +0000 http://www.ibj.org/wp_main/?p=6862 10 June 2014

Jeanne Salomé

 Twenty-four year old Virak[1] has been in prison since November 2013. When we met him in early June 2014, he still had to serve one more week of his sentence before being definitively released. He was charged with theft and had received a reduced sentence during his trial last May, thanks to the intervention of Roth Chantol, an International Bridges to Justice lawyer working in Pursat and Kampong Chhnang provinces.

Virak was arrested by the police last year for having stolen a phone in a garage. After a couple of drinks with friends, he had taken his motorbike there to get it fixed. When he went back to the garage the following day, the police were there waiting to arrest him.

Police officers interrogated him and asked him how many times he had committed theft. He spoke the truth: only this one time. The police slapped him twice and beat him with a stick in an attempt to obtain evidence that would escalate his case to a more serious crime. Though Virak controlled himself, the police quickly still him to prison in pre-trial detention after a short first appearance before the court. No one in the court or in the prison informed him about his rights. Luckily for Virak, IBJ and Roth Chantol found out about his case during one of their regular visits to the prison where they both agreed that he would represent Virak.

On the 9^th of May 2014, Virak went to attend his trial with Roth Chantol. Charged with theft, he incurred a sentence of 6 months to 3 years imprisonment. The lawyer presented his defense arguments, highlighting the fact that his client was a first-time offender and that the act he committed was not a serious one. Chantol emphasized the fact that his client had pled guilty and maintained the same, consistent, version of the facts throughout the procedure. Accordingly, the IBJ lawyer requested that the court consider Article 93 of the Criminal Code of Cambodia regarding mitigating circumstances. His strategy was to convince the panel of judges of his legal arguments and obtain a reduced sentence for his client. In the end they were successful: the court sentenced Virak to 7 months of imprisonment. As he had already served several months in pretrial detention, he will be soon released.

Virak had never heard about IBJ before they came to his aid. As we met him in prison in early June, he told us that he knows he would have stayed in jail much longer without the help of a defense lawyer. He truly appreciates the lawyer’s efforts, both inside and outside of the courtroom, especially because Roth Chantol visited him in prison several times and advised him on how to behave and what to say on the day of trial. Virak felt more protected with a lawyer at his defense and was confident that the case would result in a positive outcome. After his release, Virak will most likely he will spend some time with his mother living in a pagoda and resume his life as a self-employed worker.

[1] Names changed.

The UN declared 26^th of June the United Nations Day in Support of Victims of Torture. To honor these victims and their families, International Bridges to Justice brought together members of every faith at the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Center in Geneva, Switzerland to light a candle and say a prayer for the end of torture in our lifetime.

Religious leaders, country representatives, and members of the Geneva community came together to stand in solidarity with International Bridges to Justice and the efforts of our JusticeMakers and Fellows around the world working to enact justice for all accused.

Guests gather at the World Council of Churches’ Chapel

Michael French conducts the welcoming

Reverend Richard Gyhra representative from the Holy See Mission to the United Nations in Geneva

“We also pray for a change of heart of the perpetrators of torture, because we want what is good, what is true, and what is just.”

-Rev. Richard Gyhra

Reverend John Beach, Rector of Emmanuel Church in Geneva

“We give thanks to you, for those who defend human rights and the various people who work with determination and faithfulness for the care of  all victims of violence. Let us never make peace with despair.”

-Reverend John Beach

Vuillemin Vincent Keisen from the Zen Dojo of Geneva

“As numerous are the sentient beings, we make the vow to save them all.”

-Vuillemin Vincent Keisen

Dr. Rama Mani offering a chant for peace

“I ask us to prayer for all the torturers around the world.  May their shuttered hearts be blown open by the power of love. May they rediscover their humanity, so they can begin the long journey to undo their harm and to sow the seeds of love.”

-Dr. Rama Mani

Rav Dr. Izhak Dayan, Grand Rabbai of Geneva

“Our leaders today must learn that abusing weak and helpless prisoners compromises our ideals and diminishes rather than enhances our power”

-Rav Dr. Izhak Dayan

Faramarz Falahi and Ramin Granfar

Faramarz Falahi quoted Kitab-i-Aqdas who spoke of the human condition in regards to the Baha’i faith:

«l’importance de la valeur des êtres humains, de l’importance de la coexistence paçifique , de la coopération et du soutien mutuel, sans discrimination, haine, hostilité et préjugés religieuses aveugles »

“the importance of the value of human beings, the importance of peaceful coexistence, cooperation and mutual support, without discrimination, hatred, hostility and blind religious prejudice”

Amir Hashom and Sayed Salih Al-Hakim from the Al-Hakim Foundation

Sayed Salih Al-Hakim

Sayed Salih Al-Hakim, Director of the Dialogue Center “Al-Hikma,” in Najaf, Iraq, offered a prayer for a commitment to peace from every faith.

Geshi Luntok, Geshi Gedun, and Othok Rinpoche, from the Shedrub Choekhor Ling Monastery and Buddhist Center in Mont Salève offering a chant

Othok Rinpoche

“Je prie et je souhaite le monde de vient une famille, et comme une famille, et pour ça on a tous la responsabilité de faire ce qu’on peut.”

“I pray and I hope the world becomes a family; we all have the responsibility of doing what we can for our family.”

-Othok Rinpoche

Founder and CEO of IBJ, Karen Tse

“We are at a time in history where standing on the side of righteousness says we will stand with everyone. We will stand because no one should be tortured.”

-Karen Tse

The IBJ Choir leads the singing of Word of Justice with Patty Solomon

Sanda Freeman leads Dona Nobis Pacem

Guests were invited to light a candle

Karen Tse and Rav Dr. Izhak Dayan

Maria Teresa Avila Shogetsu, Vuillemin Vincent Keisen, and Reverend Richard Gyhra

Rav Dr. Izhak Dayan, Maria Teresa Avila Shogetsu, and Vuillemin Vincent Keisen

Reverend Beth Linguri closes with a moment of reflection

“We bring this energy of love and surround them with this light. This brings peace and justice and the qualities of love into those places where there appears to be separation, where there appears to be injustice.”

-Rev. Beth Linguri

Esteemed guests and IBJ staff gather together after the Vigil

IBJ received pictures from over 16 different countries and 4 continents! We are thankful for the outpouring of support IBJ has received internationally, from individuals and groups alike, giving us strength to build our vision of a just and peaceful world. The success of the Interfaith Peace Vigil Worldwide and CitiesForJustice campaigns remain a central  force behind our global effort to eradicate torture in the 21st century.

John Bosco Bugingo, IBJ Rwanda Fellow in Kigali

Marlon Zakeyo, Former IBJ Africa Program Officer, Johannesburg Area, South Africa

IBJ JusticeMakers Fellow, Patrick Dunkwu in Lagos, Nigeria

IBJ Zimbabwe Fellow Innocent Maja at the Interfaith Peace Vigil held in Harare on June 26th

Youth Scholar Ethan Swift in front of the Merlion statue in Singapore

IBJ’s team at Bell & Drum towers in Beijing, China

Youth Scholar Daniel Fung Jr. holding a vigil at his home with family and friends in Hong Kong

Members of Justice Centre Hong Kong organizing a vigil in solidarity with IBJ

Red Square in Moscow, Russia

Youth Scholar Jihun Hong holding an Interfaith Peace Vigil for family and friends in Seoul, South Korea

Former IBJ Staff David Zhou in Toronto, Canada

India Peace Centre in Maharashtra, India

Swami Agnivesh of India at the Inter-Faith Vigil at Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi, India

IBJ India Fellow, Ajay Verma and IBJ staff member Courtney Skiles in New Delhi, India

IBJ India Fellow Ajay Verma at a Tibetan temple in Delhi, India

Unitarian Universalists, Geneva, Switzerland

IBJ interns Geneva, Switzerland

Staff of Human Rights and Development Foundation of Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand

IBJ JusticeMakers Fellow  Judge Mahfuza Folad organized a vigil in Kabul, Afghanistan and invited judges, police, prosecutors, school children, and community representatives

IBJ Cambodia staff led by Cambodia Fellow Ouk Vandeth at an interfaith peace vigil organized in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Empire State Building in New York City USA

Former IBJ staff Jamila Justine Willis at Times Square, New York City USA

UN in New York, USA

International Program Director Sanjeewa Liyanage with former IBJ staff in Washington DC USA

Dallas, Texas USA

Shawna Foster in Omaha, Nebraska USA

Meadville Lombard students, Chicago, IL USA

Rev. Joanna Crawford, USA

Rev. Eric Posa, USA

Rev. Patrice Curtis, USA

Rev. Meg Riley, USA

Rev. Hank Pierce, USA

Youth raising awareness in Santa Monica, California USA

Guest Speaker and Founding IBJ Board Member Mia Yamamoto with local organizers Judith Lyons and Charlene Huang in Santa Monica, California USA

Milli Barendse in front of a Dutch windmill in Vlissingen, the Netherlands

Pawan Rauf in front of the Erasmusbrug in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Megan Williams

IBJ was recently successful in helping a client named Mr. Hung Jaya from Banteay Meanchey province. Mr. Jaya was originally charged with theft of a motorbike and cell phone.  Mr. Jaya lives with his family in a small village in Banteay Meanchey.  He works very hard to provide for his family some of who are elderly.

Mr. Jaya who had received a call from his cousin one evening asked him to meet him.  When Mr. Jaya arrived he found out his cousin had made a call to him from a stolen cell phone and was in possession of a stolen motorbike.  When the police were made aware of the situation they could not find Mr. Jaya’s cousin and instead arrested him for the crime. Mr. Jaya was held in the police station for 2 days while waiting to be transferred to the prison.  Throughout this time he consistently proclaimed his innocence.  In fact, at the time of Mr. Jaya’s arrest he believed that all this was a mistake and that he would not be charged, but to his surprise he was charged for the crime.  Mr. Jaya felt terrified and did not know what to do or how to provide for his family while he was in jail.  He knew his family could not afford a lawyer and at the time of his arrest Mr. Jaya did not know all his legal rights.

It was not until one evening when Mr. Jaya was listening to the radio while in prison that he heard an advertisement for IBJ services. After contacting IBJ and talking with an IBJ lawyer about his case he was made aware of his rights.  IBJ helped him gather the necessary information to present to the judge.  Mr. Jaya was later acquitted of all charges against him.  This was due to the help of the IBJ lawyer’s research of the facts about the case and the eventual arrest and confession of the crime from his cousin.  Mr. Jaya said he helped law enforcement locate his cousin for an eventual arrest.  Mr. Jaya since getting out of jail says he is relieved that he was acquitted and is able to go back to his normal life of providing for his family.  Without IBJ Mr. Jaya stated he might very well still be in prison for a crime he did not commit.

When speaking with the IBJ lawyer involved in the case, the lawyer stated that it was a difficult case in the beginning because there were no witnesses and no one could find the cousin.  The case became a lot less difficult when the cousin was arrested and confessed to the crime.

Da-Eun Seok

On a beautiful morning, two young girls entered the IBJ office in Battambang, located behind the Provincial Court. They put their hands together and rose them up to their nose, greeting with the words “Chhum-Reap-Ssu-a”, “hello” in Khmer. They sat down, and we started to talk about what happened to them and to their other sister.

IBJ lawyer, IBJ clients and IBJ lawyer’s assistant in front of the IBJ office, in the court yard of Battambang provincial Court.

At quarter to nine, on 17th August 2011, Kanika (the oldest sister), Chenda (the second sister) and Cheata (the youngest sister), were selling cans of juice on the street like they do every day. On that specific day, they were putting more effort in their work because they were worried about their mother who was sick, so they wanted to earn enough money to be able to support her. While two customers were buying several cans of juice from their shop, Sophea, another proprietor of a small shop with similar goods in the neighborhood, was observing them. Seeing that customers seemed more interested by the three sisters’ shop, Sophea grew jealous. She started to insult the young sisters and seemed ready to start a fight. To Sophea’s injurious words, Kanika, Chenda, and Cheata replied that they were just selling juice for their living. Nonetheless, the fight intensified and became physical. The youngest sister Cheata was the only person who was injured. When the police arrived shortly afterwards, Sophea pretended that she was knocked unconscious. Even though Sophea had not been hurt, she deceitfully used the circumstance that she was pregnant to draw attention to her so-called fragility. As the police intervened, they questioned everyone involved in the fight. The three siblings answered that they did not commit any crime, nor hit anyone.

The day after, the three of them were summoned to the police station. When the authorities asked what had occurred the girls reiterated that they did not initiate the fight and did not hit Sophea. Fortunately, the police did not deem it necessary to keep them in provisional detention so they were able to go back home after the interrogation. However, three weeks later the court summoned the three sisters to inform them that they were all charged with intentional violence with aggravating circumstances against Sophea. The court also indicated that Sophea was seeking compensation for 4 million riels (about 1,000 USD).

Before the trial, the court informed Kanika, Chenda and Cheata of their right to choose a lawyer and informed them of IBJ’s legal services. The sisters had never heard of the organization before, but they decided to contact an IBJ lawyer for help. IBJ received this case on the 1^st December, 2012 and the trial was held 9 months later, on 23rd August, 2013. Sophea came to the hearing with some of her family members as witnesses though none of them actually saw the alleged crime. With the help of the IBJ lawyer, the three sisters brought proper eye-witnesses to provide their testimony to the court. They reiterated the  fact that they did not commit any offense; a statement they kept throughout the case. The IBJ lawyer underlined the weak probative value of Sophea’s piece of evidence during the defense,  emphasizing that her family members were not even present on the scene of the alleged offense. Moreover, he pointed out the fact that there was no evidence of injury against Sophea. Consequently, the court dismissed the proof presented by the latter. The verdict was issued on September 20^th 2013, epitomizing the effectiveness of IBJ’s lawyer defense strategy. The three sisters were subsequently acquitted.

Kanika, Chenda, and Cheata were able to resume their work. All of the siblings work to support their relatives. The sisters have two brothers, one of which is living in Thailand and working with their father. All of them have to work hard in order to earn enough money to support their family.

Kanika, Chenda and Cheata said that they were happy to meet the IBJ lawyer because they could not have defended themselves at trial without his representation. The oldest sister, Kanika, told me that she felt infuriated by the situation she had to face when she did not commit any crime. She strongly felt a sentiment of injustice for herself and her sisters. While all of them were feeling insecure at first as they did not know the role of a lawyer, they now understand it and keep spreading the word to the people about IBJ’s work as a legal aid NGO.