Across the world, lawyers are increasingly facing intimidation, surveillance, cyberattacks, detention, and even imprisonment — often for defending human rights or politically unpopular clients. A recent global report highlighted Belarus, where over 130 lawyers have been stripped of their licenses since the 2020 elections. Legal organizations, including the Bar Council and the Alliance for Lawyers …
In a powerful and emotional interview with The Moscow Times, Olga Mikhailova, longtime lawyer of the late Alexei Navalny, reflects on her regrets and the devastating aftermath of his decision to return to Russia in 2021. Mikhailova, now living in exile in France, laments not having persuaded Navalny to stay abroad, a choice she believes …
On January 18, 2025, two senior Iranian Supreme Court judges, Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh, were shot dead in a premeditated assassination inside the Supreme Court building in Tehran. The attacker also killed himself while fleeing, and a bodyguard was injured. The motive is unclear, but both judges had long-standing roles in Iran’s judiciary and …
In a chilling escalation of its crackdown on dissent, a Russian court has sentenced three of Alexei Navalny’s former lawyers — Vadim Kobzev, Alexei Liptser, and Igor Sergunin — to multiple years in prison for allegedly participating in an “extremist organization.” Their “crime” was transmitting messages from Navalny, the late opposition leader, from prison to …
In a rare and bold move, six senior judges from Pakistan’s Islamabad High Court have publicly accused the country’s powerful intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), of interfering in judicial affairs. Their open letter details shocking instances of surveillance, coercion, and even the abduction and torture of family members, all allegedly aimed at influencing rulings …
In this deeply personal piece for The Moscow Times, journalist and researcher Dan Storyev reflects on the emotional toll and moral imperative of working for OVD-Info, a leading Russian human rights watchdog. Amid a tightening authoritarian grip, Storyev chronicles how OVD-Info grew from a grassroots response to protest detentions into a vital lifeline for those …
In this Moscow Times opinion piece, Russian lawyer Leonid Solovyov shares his personal account of defending Alexei Navalny amidst an increasingly repressive legal climate. Following the arrest of three of Navalny’s lawyers and the exile of a fourth, Solovyov reflects on the moral weight of his decision to represent Russia’s most prominent opposition figure. He …
On EJIL:Talk!, Alain Pellet reflects on his resignation as counsel for Russia before the International Court of Justice, prompted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While distinguishing the 2014 Crimea situation—where he believes the population may have genuinely supported reunification with Russia—from the broader aggression against Ukraine, Pellet denounces the latter as a clear violation …
In an article for Meduza, exiled Russian human rights lawyer Ivan Pavlov announces the launch of Pervy Otdel (“Department One”), a new legal initiative dedicated to defending individuals accused of treason, espionage, and other state security-related offenses often prosecuted in secret. Pavlov, who previously led the disbanded Team 29, was forced to flee Russia in …
Lawyers in Pakistan continued protesting, with ousted Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry urging them to defy de facto martial law imposed by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Chaudhry, under arrest, called for the restoration of the Constitution. Meanwhile, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto ruled out talks with Musharraf, accusing him of imposing martial law instead …