On July 17th, Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWB) attended a workshop of the "Circulo Sixto Asprillo", an organization of lawyers in the coastal Colombian city of Cartagena. The workshop began with a presentation by LWB on the role and structure of LWB as well as its project in Colombia. This presentation solicited a great deal of interest on how organizations such as LWB can support and advance the cause and protection of lawyers in Colombia.
Next, LWB gave a second presentation on the function of law societies in Canada and Quebec, particularly that of the Barreau du Québec. The response to this presentation was impressive – the local lawyers wanted to understand exactly the history of such law societies, how they were financed, how they remained independent from the state, as well as their role in protecting lawyers in the practice of their profession. Indeed, such law societies do not exist in Colombia. Colombia lawyers are too often the subject of threats, violence and all too many assassinations. These lawyers risk their lives, as well as those of their families in order to practice their profession, with little institutional or collegial support. The Circulo “Sixto Asprillo” is one of the many initiatives across Colombia to organize the legal profession, in hopes to work together to increase their security and the impact of their work.
There were also presentations on the role, or potential role, of international institutions in Colombia – particularly to advance the security of the legal profession. In particular, Eric Sottas, the Secretary General of the Geneva-based World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) spoke of the work of the OMCT, Carmen Sottas spoke about the work of the International Labour Organization, and LWB gave a presentation on the International Criminal Court.
Finally, two Colombian lawyers spoke. Firstly, Alirio Uribe, of the Colectivo de Abogados Jose Alvear Restrepo spoke about Colombian law, and the juridical avenues open to advance the security of lawyers. This was followed by a lawyer who was displaced because of severe threats to his life, who spoke about the reality of the threats and violence facing Colombian lawyers.
Catherine Fagan