The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (“BHRC”) is delighted to announce that Stephen Cragg KC, former Chair of BHRC, has joined our Advisory Board. Stephen was the Chair of BHRC from 2022-2023, and Vice Chair of BHRC and a member of the Executive Committee for four years prior to that. Steve stepped down at the end of his term in December 2023 after two years as Chair, passing the mantle to Michael Ivers KC and a new Executive Committee for 2024-2025. The BHRC Chair, Vice Chairs and Executive Committee wish to thank Stephen for his years of commitment to BHRC, and look forw ..read more

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales (BHRC) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for our upcoming virtual panel event, Protecting Mental Health and Building Resilience: A Dialogue for Human Rights Defenders, which will be held on Thursday 21 July 2022 @ 2pm (UK) on Zoom. As we well know, human rights work demands extraordinary resilience and courage from defenders and practitioners who often work under immense personal risk and pressures which put them at greater risk of anxiety, depression, and PTSD, which can manifest as physical illnesses and adversely impa ..read more

Dear Foreign Secretary, We are writing on behalf of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales (BHRC) and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) to raise our concerns about the serious threat to human rights and the rule of law in Sri Lanka, to raise awareness as necessary and seek an inter-governmental response.[1] Since gaining independence in 1948 Sri Lanka and Britain have maintained strong ties and mutual respect.  Britain’s diplomatic and political intervention at this most troubling of times is needed urgently. Mass protests by the public are ..read more

The right to a fair trial has long been recognised by the international community as a fundamental human right. Without a fair trial, every individual risks becoming the victim of a miscarriage of justice, either as an innocent suspect wrongly convicted, or as a victim unable to secure justice for a wrong perpetrated against him or her. In 2021, an annual International Fair Trial Day was established with a steering group, and the event was supported by more than 100 legal associations. The first conference was held as a virtual event on 14 June 2021 with a focus on fair trial rights in T ..read more