Notes to the Editor
- Background:
- Ivan Pavlov is accused of leaking information to the local press about his client, Ivan Safronov, a former journalist charged with treason.
- According to his colleagues, Mr Pavlov was threatened by authorities before his arrest due to his work on behalf of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, raising fears that these new charges are politically motivated. In an open letter of support of Mr. Pavlov, other Russian lawyers expressed that they had no doubt that his detention was related to his professional activities.
- Over the past decade, Russia has enacted a significant number of laws and regulations to repress freedom of expression and peaceful assembly with the apparent justification of targeting ‘extremism.’ Mr. Pavlov is well-known for his defense of high-profile clients who have been charged under such laws. He is also the founder of Team 29, an organization of lawyers and journalists advocating for access to information for Russians.
- TrialWatch expert Baroness Kennedy is the Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and has practiced at the Bar for over 40 years in the field of criminal law. She has been a member of the House of Lords for over 20 years, where she is a currently a member of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee.
- TrialWatch is an initiative of the Clooney Foundation for Justice. Its mission is to expose injustice, help to free those unjustly detained and promote the rule of law around the world. TrialWatch monitors criminal trials globally against those who are most vulnerable — including journalists, protesters, women, LGBTQ+ persons and minorities — and advocates for the rights of the unfairly convicted. Over time, TrialWatch will use the data it gathers to publish a Global Justice Ranking exposing countries’ performance and use it to support advocacy for systemic change.
- The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), established in 1995 under Founding Honorary President Nelson Mandela, is an autonomous and financially independent entity, working to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.
- Find the IBAHRI (@IBAHRI) on social media here:
The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, it was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
The IBA acts as a connector, enabler, and influencer, for the administration of justice, fair practice, and accountability worldwide. The IBA has collaborated on a broad range of ground-breaking, international projects with the United Nations, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, The Commonwealth, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, among others.
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