Chad’s recent constitutional amendment abolishing presidential term limits marks a major setback for democracy and the rule of law. The reform, fast-tracked through parliament and signed by President Mahamat Idriss Déby, allows him to remain in power indefinitely and extends presidential terms from five to seven years. Human Rights Watch warns that this move dismantles …
In a powerful reflection, Suren Avanesyan shares his encounter with two leading Russian human rights lawyers, Vadim Prokhorov and Karina Moskalenko, who continue to defend political prisoners from exile. Their work before the European Court of Human Rights is one of the few remaining avenues for justice as political repression in Russia intensifies. The piece …
As threats against judges intensify across the United States—from swatting and doxxing to direct intimidation—lawyers are mobilizing to protect the judiciary and the rule of law. In a recent interview with Federal News Network, attorney Paul Kiesel discussed the origins of Speak Up for Justice, a coalition of legal professionals advocating for judicial safety and …
Fresh Air — “Implications Of The DOJ Targeting The President’s Critics” Legal scholar and former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade explains how President Trump’s push for the Justice Department to pursue his political opponents (e.g., James Comey) erodes long-standing norms separating law enforcement from politics, threatening prosecutorial independence and the rule of law. The episode lays out …
Michele Beckwith, the acting U.S. attorney in Sacramento, was abruptly fired by President Donald Trump just hours after reminding Border Patrol officials that immigration raids in her district must comply with federal court orders. On 15 July, Beckwith sent an email to Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino, emphasizing that agents could not indiscriminately stop or …
At the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, attorney general Richard Hermer KC and justice minister Sarah Sackman condemned recent political attacks on judges as dangerous, intentional, and corrosive to the rule of law. Hermer warned that naming judges in parliament, as done by Robert Jenrick, puts them at personal risk and undermines public trust in …
Buzurgmehr Yorov, one of Tajikistan’s most fearless human rights lawyers, has been unjustly imprisoned for nearly ten years. He is currently serving a 23-year sentence for defending political opposition leaders, in violation of his fundamental rights. Yorov was arrested in 2015 after representing members of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party and speaking out against torture …
The Trump administration has escalated tensions with Brazil by sanctioning Viviane Barci de Moraes, wife of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the criminal case against Jair Bolsonaro. The U.S. also revoked visas for six senior Brazilian officials and targeted the Lex Institute, a family-linked financial entity it suspects could be used to …
In his first public remarks since leaving the Justice Department, former special counsel Jack Smith cautioned that the rule of law is facing unprecedented threats. Speaking at George Mason University, Smith condemned political interference in prosecutions, selective targeting of opponents, and protection of presidential allies from accountability. Smith pointed to recent DOJ turmoil, including prosecutors …
As the Trump administration escalates politically motivated firings, blocks congressionally approved funds, and pressures major law firms, a wave of smaller legal outfits has stepped in to defend democracy and the rule of law. Key players include Lowell & Associates, Democracy Defenders Fund, and the Washington Litigation Group. These firms—staffed by veteran attorneys, ex-Justice Department …