The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has condemned the Tunisian government’s escalating repression of lawyers, warning that arrests and prosecutions of legal professionals for exercising free speech or defending politically sensitive clients pose a grave …
Attacks Against Legal Profession
Trump Imposes Tariffs on Brazil Amid Bolsonaro Prosecution
In a dramatic escalation, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on all Brazilian imports, set to begin August 1, 2025. The move comes after lobbying efforts by Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former …
Prosecutors Torch Trump’s ‘Worst Conceivable’ Court Nominee
Emil Bove, a former Trump defense attorney and current DOJ official, has come under fire after being nominated by Donald Trump for a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. …
China’s human rights lawyers speak out, 10 years after crackdown
A decade after China’s largest crackdown on human rights lawyers—the 2015 “709 incident”—legal professionals and activists report that government control over the legal system has intensified under Xi Jinping. While once there was space for …
Istanbul mayor’s jailed lawyer denounces ‘fabricated’ charges
In Turkey, the lawyer defending jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has himself been imprisoned amid what he calls a politically motivated purge. Mehmet Pehlivan, who represents İmamoğlu (President Erdoğan’s main rival), was detained in June …
The Supreme Court and Congress Cede Powers to Trump and the Presidency
In a dramatic shift, both the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress have increasingly deferred to President Donald Trump’s authority, signaling a rebalancing of constitutional powers in favor of the executive. The Supreme Court recently ruled …
Trump slams Israel’s prosecutors over Netanyahu corruption trial
U.S. President Donald Trump harshly criticized Israeli prosecutors over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, asserting that the legal proceedings threaten to undermine regional diplomacy during a sensitive period. Netanyahu, who was indicted in …
Federal Judges Block Trump’s Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms
In a major legal rebuke, a fourth federal judge has struck down a Trump executive order targeting the elite law firm Susman Godfrey. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, deemed the order …
Brad Lander, New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate, not charged following arrest at immigration court
On June 17, 2025, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by ICE agents at an immigration court in Manhattan. Lander was escorting an immigrant defendant when he was detained, allegedly …
India: Supreme Court Advocates Condemn ED’s Summons to Senior Lawyer Arvind Datar
The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) has strongly objected to a summons issued by India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) to senior counsel Arvind Datar, who had provided legal advice to Care Health Insurance in an ESOP-related …