Conference of the IBA in Helsinki

The presidents and representatives of about 150 national bar associations met last week in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. They attended the half-yearly conference of the IBA, the International Organization of Bar Associations worldwide. A meeting of the Organization’s management and a session of the Organization’s governing council also took place.

Adv. Eitan Epstein, a partner in our firm responsible for international activities, is a representative of the Israel Bar Association (together with Adv. Leon Amirs). Epstein is a member of the committee that decides on the issues to be on the Agenda and on the Organization’s priorities (Bar Issues Commission) , Policy Committee).

At a gathering of the Bar Association heads, and at the Organization’s request, Adv. Epstein reviewed the main points of the legal reforms being mooted in Israel and the public protest that has arisen against the proposed legislative trend, first and foremost being the implicit harm to the judiciary in general and to the Supreme Court in particular, and the potential prejudice to its status and powers identified by the Bar Association. By the end of March, the IBA President had already voiced the Organization’s concern and fears about the harm caused to the principles of separation of powers, the rule of law and the protection of minority rights in Israel and Mexico. The heads of many Bar Associations around the world have expressed support for the stance taken by the Israel Bar Association against the implementation of legal reform and its consequences.

The Organization’s support for Ukraine and the humanitarian and professional assistance provided to lawyers and their families in Ukraine were also on the agenda. The IBA is continuing its work to rescue lawyers in Ukraine who are actively protesting against the Russian invasion and against the serious harm caused to life and human rights in the occupied territories.

In addition, the IBA’s Human Rights Organization, led by Baroness Helena Kennedy, continues to rescue judges, lawyers, human rights activists and their families from Afghanistan. This is a consequence of their persecution by the Taliban organization and the danger it poses to their lives and safety.

The Organization’s governing council decided, unanimously, to support the establishment of an international criminal court to which indictments will be filed against war criminals from the top echelon of Russian government officials, including the President, and the heads of the Russian army, for the planned and deliberate harm inflicted on Ukrainian civilians.

This year, the Organization will continue to take action against countries that breach human rights and which impose restrictions and sanctions on lawyers who are working to protect those rights, and to take action to protect and enforce the Rule of Law in those countries where regimes operate to undermine and even prevent the application of the fundamentals of the Rule of Law. The Organization will also continue to support lawyers working to eradicate corruption in their judicial systems, to raise professionalism among lawyers throughout the world, and to internalize the conclusion that bar associations must act as defenders of the Rule of Law and human rights.