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!

We’ve created the site using a content management system called Joomla, which is new to me, but seems like a highly-functional and user-friendly piece of software. In some ways it’s similar to the WordPress software we use to manage this blog.

But just because we’re happy to have the site live, doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot more work to do! Over the coming month, the JusticeMakers team will be working to create a database driven platform that will facilitate our upcoming competition. We’ll be creating:

* User Profiles,
* Application Forms,
* Discussion Forums, and
* User Messaging Tools, among other cool features.

Ultimately, we want JusticeMakers will become and online community that shares intellectual capital and best practices in the field of criminal justice. It will host competitions, facilitate discussions, and connect passionate members of the criminal defense community with their counterparts from around the world. Thanks in advance for your patience as we make this vision a reality.

In the mean time, we could use your help! We’re set to launch the competition on June 26, 2008 and are hoping prospective applicants will be banging down our door to register. If you know of people in your community who would be interested – or even if you don’t (!) – it would be a tremendous help if you could forward the following text on via email:

If you were suspected of a crime would you be treated fairly? No? You can help!
Win $5,000 to implement your plan to promote criminal justice in your community.

JusticeMakers.net is an international competition that identifies, connects, and supports innovators in criminal defense. It is also a global community that shares ideas and best practices in the field of criminal justice. To register, please see justicemakers.net/register. Submissions will be accepted from June 26th through August 21st, 2008. For any questions or comments, please e-mail info@justicemakers.net. JusticeMakers is a project of International Bridges to Justice.