AEA-EAL organized and co-organized two online events dedicated to Covid-19 crisis and its impact on justice, human rights and law.
The first one held on May 16 was an international online conference for Russian-speaking audience, organized together with the Human Rights Institute of the Al Farabi State University in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan, International Commission of Jurists in Geneva as well as with other partners. The topic of the conference was “Law and Human Rights in a Pandemic”. With over 150 participants from 17 countries it was a huge, all day event covering four main sessions:
- New approaches to legal education and advanced training of lawyers;
- Implementation and protection of human rights in a pandemic and quarantine;.
- Administration of justice in time of restrictions;
- The impact of a pandemic on compliance and other legal consequences.
Maria Ślązak, AEA-EAL President, greeted participants in her welcoming speech and shortly presented AEA-EAL’s project held in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2018. In the second session she spoke about growing domestic violence during Covid-19 pandemic and necessity of immediate reaction of governments to save victims. Our other speakers were:
- Veronika Hoerrer, Head of International Department of the German Federal Bar (BRAK), who spoke on experiences related to justice in times of Covid-19,
- Mindaugas Kukaitis, Vice-President of the Lithuanian Bar Association, who spoke on protection of human rights during pandemic and quarantine in Lithuania,
- David Viader, advocate from Barcelona, who presented information on court proceedings in Spain after March 14, 2020,
- David Asatiani, President of the Georgian Bar Association, who talked on human rights in the time of restrictions, and
- Maria Bonon, advocate of the Paris Bar, , who spoke on the activities of a lawyer in a state of emergency and economic consequences of the crisis in France.
The conference has received very positive feedback from participants.
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The second event was held on May 18 as an online, two-hour seminar on “Impact of Coronavirus on Justice – overview of the situation in various countries” with five areas discussed by speakers and participants:
- Experiences of chosen countries with the lockdown in Justice;
- Pre-trial isolation and the right to defence; access to a lawyer of detainees, suspects and accused persons deprived liberty;
- Victims of domestic violence and their rights in the context of access to justice – existing legal standards and current practice (experience of lawyers);
- Legal privilege in COVID-19 pandemic times – a value in serious danger?
- Closer or more distant justice? Pros and cons of application of new technologies in access to justice.
Over 50 participants received enhanced knowledge from our specialists: Professor Marcelo Castrogiovanni, University of Buenos Aires, Monique Stengel, AEA-EAL immediate Past President, Paris, Vladimir Palamarciuc, Past President of the Moldavian Young Lawyers Association (MYLA), Moldova, Juan Núñez, AEA-EAL Past President, Barcelona and Tina Fernandez, specialist in IT and technology, London. The seminar was moderated by Ph. D. Piotr Chrzczonowicz, University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń.
The seminar was highly appreciated by participants.