The ICJ today addressed the Human Rights Council, and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, concerning the need for protection of lawyers in Viet Nam.
In an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, the ICJ emphasised that legal aid (the subject of the Special Rapporteur’s report to the Council) is fruitless without proper protection of the legal profession. Referring to articles 16-18 of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, the ICJ drew attention to challenges faced by human rights lawyers in Viet Nam, particularly those who have been disbarred and not allowed to practice in their work representing victims of discrimination and land confiscation.
The ICJ urged the Government of Viet Nam to extend to the Special Rapporteur an invitation to undertake a mission to Viet Nam and to cooperate with her and allow her to effectively consider these and other obstacles to the effective functioning of the legal profession in the country.
The statement was delivered under Item 3 (promotion and protection of all human rights) of the agenda of the Human Rights Council’s 23rd regular session (27 May to 14 June 2013).
VietNam-HRC23-OralStatementIJL-LegalSubmission-2013 (download ICJ oral statement)