News releases
La española Almudena Arpón de Mendívil asume la presidencia de la IBA, la primera mujer en 20 años
Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama, socia del bufete Gómez-Acebo & Pombo en Madrid, España, ha sido nombrada nueva Presidenta de la International Bar Association (IBA). Arpón de Mendívil es la primera mujer que ocupa este cargo en 20 años y la segunda en los 76 años de historia de la Asociación.
Released on Jan 12, 2023
Spain’s Almudena Arpón de Mendívil has assumed the presidency of the IBA – the first woman in 20 years
Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama, partner at law firm Gómez-Acebo & Pombo in Madrid, Spain is announced as the new President of the International Bar Association (IBA). Ms Mendívil is the first woman to hold the position in 20 years and only the second in the Association’s 76-year history.
Released on Jan 12, 2023
New IBA report reviews mechanisms to prevent and remedy injustice before international criminal courts and tribunals
The International Bar Association (IBA) International Criminal Court and International Criminal Law (ICC & ICL) Programme has published a new report examining the legal frameworks and practices of international criminal courts and tribunals to remedy international injustice through appeals, retrials, reviews or...
Released on Dec 8, 2022
España: Importante brecha en la proporción de mujeres en los niveles más altos del sector legal, según nuevo informe de la IBA
A new report from the Legal Policy & Research Unit of the International Bar Association indicates that women account for just over half of legal professionals (54 per cent), but only 31 per cent are represented in top positions.
Released on Dec 5, 2022
Spain: Significant gap in the proportion of women in top positions of the legal sector, according to new IBA report
A new report from the Legal Policy & Research Unit of the International Bar Association indicates that women account for just over half of legal professionals (54 per cent), but only 31 per cent are represented in top positions.
Released on Dec 5, 2022
IBA urges states to increase support and re-sources for the International Criminal Court
The International Bar Association (IBA) urges states to increase support and resources for the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the commencement of the 21st annual session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) – the Court's management oversight and legislative body composed of representatives of the states...
Released on Dec 5, 2022
Joint Statement: Bar associations and international lawyers’ organisations call for protection of lawyers in Iran
The undersigned bar associations and international lawyers’ organisations call for the Islamic Republic of Iran and its agencies to protect, promote, and support the following basic rights
Released on Dec 2, 2022
IBA, Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice and Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision announce Memorandum of Understanding
The IBA, Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice and the Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision have announced a joint Memorandum of Understanding setting out terms of support for free legal aid provision in ensuring the effective representation of cases concerning war crimes.
Released on Nov 29, 2022
Iran: IBAHRI condemns death sentence given to a protestor and calls for United Nations investigative mechanism
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) condemns both the sentencing to death of an unnamed protestor in Iran and the violent crackdowns of protests by the country’s authorities. Consequently, the IBAHRI calls for a United Nations mechanism to be urgently established with the mandate to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the suppressions under international law and to put an end to the persistent impunity for grave human rights violations.
Released on Nov 17, 2022
IBA Miami – what you missed or would perhaps like to see again…a round-up of speeches, photos and videos
The International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference 2022 took place from Sunday 30 October – Friday 4 November at the at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida.
Released on Nov 15, 2022
An account of the beginnings of IBA Legalbrief Africa as it reaches 20 year milestone
On 4 November 2022, IBA Legalbrief Africa turned 20. It is incredible to think that this publication, which provides a succinct weekly round-up of legal news from across Africa and is delivered each Monday, by email, to people interested in what is happening on the continent, only exists today because of a single...
Released on Nov 7, 2022
China: Jiang Tianyong receives IBA Human Rights Award 2022
Lawyer Jiang Tianyong has received the 2022 International Bar Association (IBA) Award for Outstanding Contribution to Human Rights for his extraordinary dedication to defending human rights in the People’s Republic of China. Over the span of a decade, he has represented Chinese dissidents and activists...
Released on Nov 4, 2022
Mexico: Elba Gutiérrez receives 2022 IBA Pro Bono Award
The recipient of the International Bar Association (IBA) Pro Bono Award for 2022 has been announced as Elba Gutiérrez, Manager of the Greenberg Traurig Global Pro Bono Programme. She is honoured for her instrumental role in delivering and promoting pro bono legal services in Mexico, a country where pro bono...
Released on Nov 4, 2022
The 2022 IBA awardees
Released on Nov 4, 2022
Ghana’s Yorm Ama Abledu wins 2022 IBA Outstanding Young Lawyer Award
The 2022 International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Outstanding Young Lawyer Award recipient has been named as Ghana’s Yorm Ama Abledu, Senior International Attorney at Centurion Law Group and Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), for her demonstrable passion...
Released on Nov 4, 2022
Debevoise & Plimpton recognised with IBA Group Member Pro Bono Award
International law firm Debevoise & Plimpton has been recognised with an IBA Group Member Award for outstanding pro bono contributions to the work of the International Bar Association (IBA).
Released on Nov 1, 2022
The IBA Annual Conference returns with President Zelensky and Lionel Barber keynotes
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and media heavyweight Lionel Barber, former editor of The Financial Times (FT), are to address delegates attending the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference
Released on Oct 30, 2022
IBA and Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine announce signing of Memorandum of Understanding
The IBA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine on cooperation to ensure accountability for war crimes and other international crimes including the crime of aggression, genocide and conflict-related sexual violence.
Released on Oct 27, 2022
Singapore: IBAHRI and ICJ respond to Ministry of Law and Ministry of Home Affairs on the death penalty and cost sanctions
In an open letter to Singaporean authorities published today, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) reiterated that Singapore’s practices concerning the death penalty fail to comply with international human rights law and standards.
Released on Oct 27, 2022
Law associations to co-host event at COP27: The Role of the Legal Profession in the Climate Crisis
The International Bar Association (IBA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and the Law Society of England and Wales are set to host an event during the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 0900 – 1400 (EET) on Thursday...
Released on Oct 18, 2022
Iran: Security forces’ violent suppression of protests identical to 2019, says IBAHRI
As protestors in the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to be shot at by the country’s security forces and women outside of Iran cut off locks of their hair in solidarity with the Iranian women protesting for equal rights, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) notes parallels between...
Released on Oct 18, 2022
IBAHRI warns of potential Hazara genocide in Afghanistan and calls for Genocide Convention action by governments
The situation of the Hazara community in Afghanistan is of great concern to the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) following another targeted attack of female students from the minority community on 30 September 2022. Among the victims is a family member of a Hazara female judge...
Released on Oct 17, 2022
IBAHRI engagement and main UNHRC takeaways
With the conclusion of the 51st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the IBAHRI reflects on the key discussions and outcomes of the session, the side events held, and the resolutions passed.
Released on Oct 14, 2022
IBAHRI calls for the immediate release of women imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for social media posts
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) calls for the immediate release of Nourah al-Qahtani and Salma al-Shehab who have been sentenced to 45 and 34 years in prison, respectively, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for allegedly posting comments on social media that were critical of...
Released on Oct 14, 2022
Iran: IBAHRI condemns ongoing violent crackdown of protests, calls for accountability and an end to impunity
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) is alarmed by, and condemns, the widely reported campaign of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention of protestors by Iran’s security forces.
Released on Oct 13, 2022
IBA condemns Russia’s disregard of civilian life and international law amid intensified shelling of Ukraine
As Kyiv officials report that Russian ‘kamikaze drones’ have today struck Ukraine’s capital city, the IBA condemns Russia’s prolonged and intensified bombardment across Ukraine that has resulted in civilian deaths, casualties, displacements and destruction of infrastructure and further violations of international law...
Released on Oct 13, 2022
IBAHRI calls for end to forced confessions as World Day against the Death Penalty is marked
To mark the 20th World Day against the Death Penalty on Monday 10 October 2022, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) calls for universal abolition of the death penalty, ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), an end to forced confessions, and implementation of the exclusionary rule for torture-tainted evidence, including in capital punishment cases.
Released on Oct 10, 2022
eyeWitness to Atrocities app surpasses collection of 20,000 verifiable items of potential human rights violations in Ukraine, and group submits evidence to UN COI
In Ukraine, users of the eyeWitness to Atrocities camera app have safely deposited, in the eyeWitness secure vault, 20,000 verifiable videos, photographs and audio files of alleged war crimes since the start of Russia’s invasion.
Released on Oct 4, 2022
IBA President Sternford Moyo receives Freedom of the City of London
In a ceremony dating back centuries, Sternford Moyo, President of the International Bar Association (IBA), has been bestowed with the Freedom of the City of London for his unswerving commitment to the rule of law and contributions to the international legal profession in general. Mr Moyo was formally admitted as...
Released on Sep 30, 2022
IBA Women Lawyers’ Committee Mentorship Toolkit launched to close gender gap in the legal profession
The IBA has launched the Women Lawyers' Committee: Mentorship Toolkit (the Toolkit) with the aim of empowering female legal professionals and addressing the gender representation gap at senior levels.
Released on Sep 23, 2022