The President of the European Court of Human Rights, Marko Bošnjak, has underlined the key role that lawyers play in administering justice and upholding human rights in a speech to the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) in Brussels.
In his speech, the President stressed that lawyers are key players in the legal system, helping to maintain the rule of law by acting to ensure that laws are applied fairly and consistently.
The President highlighted a number of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights that have helped to protect the work of lawyers over the years.
He also paid tribute to the role that lawyers play in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights, both at national level and in Strasbourg, by being the first to detect human rights violations and then providing applicants with access to justice and indispensable guidance.
"The key point is that lawyers advocating, advising and defending at every step in their client's journey through justice provide an essential function in making rights real," said the President.
President Bošnjak explained that the Council of Europe's ground-breaking new international treaty to protect lawyers was drafted to help respond to a rising trend of attacks, threats, harassment and initimidation against lawyers.
The Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer was recently adopted by the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers and will soon be opened for signature by states.
