Protection of attorneys and lawyers. Advocacy

We protect the professional community using international mechanisms. For example, we maintain ongoing communication with the UN Special Rapporteur in defense of lawyers.

We demonstrate the real situation with the rule of law and access to justice. As, for example, was done in the Alternative report on the implementation of SDG 16, as well as in the Joint alternative report concerning the implementation of all SDGs in Belarus, prepared by representatives of Belarusian civil society.

We also constantly carry out in-country advocacy. For example, at one time thanks to us the right of a witness to a lawyer was enshrined in the CPC of the Republic of Belarus (thanks to our appeals to the Constitutional Court).

We promoted the recommendations of Belarusian NGOs on introducing amendments and additions to the draft «On introducing amendments and additions to certain laws of the Republic of Belarus on improving the activities of the bar».

Education for professionals

→ Educational events with European partners

Together with our partners from the Council of Europe and the CEELI Institute, we organize educational events for practicing lawyers.

→ Internships for students of law specializations

Once a year we organize three-month online internships for students and master’s students of law specializations.

During the internships we strive to give our young colleagues the opportunity to work on topics that are most interesting to them. The focus: discrimination, international human rights mechanisms, business and human rights, human rights based approach, SDGs, general human rights analytics, individual rights.

For each intern, a mentor is provided who accompanies the intern throughout the entire internship. Among our mentors are human rights defenders, experts in international law, and former lecturers of the Faculty of International Relations of BSU.

→ Podcast «Blueprints of Freedom»

A salon-analytical podcast about law in politics and politics in law. BHC experts, international lawyers Katsiaryna Deykala and Katsiaryna Kuzniatsova, over a glass of sparkling wine reflect on Belarus; about people, society, and state-building without blueprints and with them.

Tools for professionals

📆 Calendar of international human rights mechanisms for Belarus

We created this calendar to make it easier and more convenient for lawyers to use international human rights mechanisms to help their target audiences. Calls of international mechanisms can be filtered by tags (topics of your work or target audience), deadlines, as well as by type of reporting (periodic or upon request). UN mechanisms make it possible to look at the problems of target groups and human rights from a different angle and notice violations where they are not obvious. It is also an important means of documenting human rights violations and highlighting them in the international field.

🔎 Database on human rights standards for lawyers and project managers

This resource saves time and helps to quickly navigate international human rights standards for key queries. It helps to quickly build initial expertise on the necessary human rights aspect, strengthen a legal document (complaint, application) with relevant international human rights standards; at the same time such information is not available in popular professional databases. It helps project managers and representatives of state bodies navigate the human rights agenda regarding Belarus.