Today, on Monday the 24th of January the next Day of the endangered lawyer is being celebrated worldwide!
24 January was chosen as the annual International Day of the Endangered Lawyer because on this day in 1977, four lawyers and a co-worker were murdered at their address at Calle Atocha 55 in Madrid, an event that came to be known as the Massacre of Atocha.
The purpose of this international Day is to draw the attention of government officials, international institutions, civil society, the media, and the general public to the situation of lawyers in a particular country, in order to raise awareness about the threats that they face in the exercise of their profession. In past years, this Day has been dedicated to countries including Azerbaijan (2021), Pakistan (2020), Turkey (2019 & 2012), Egypt (2018), China (2017), Honduras (2016), the Philippines (2015) and Iran (2010).
This year, for the second time, the Day of the Endangered Lawyer focuses on Colombia, where the persecution of human rights lawyers continues, preventing them from freely, independently, and safely practising their profession.
You may find a full report on situation of Colombian lawyers here.
