The Global Refugee Crisis, Part 2: Rights, Rule of Law, & Rational Remedies

Hundreds of migrants who arrived by train at Hegyeshalom on the Hungarian and Austrian border walk the four kilometers into Austria on September 22, 2015 in Hegyeshalom, Hungary (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images).

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Join us for...

The Global Refugee Crisis, Part 2:

Rights, Rule of Law, & Rational Remedies

A non-CLE program proudly presented by

the ABA Section of International Law

Sponsored by 

the Section of International Law International Human Rights Committee

Co-Sponsored by

the Section of International Law Africa Committee, Europe Committee, International Criminal Law Committee, International Refugee Law Committee, International Pro Bono Committee, Middle East Committee, NGO & Not-for-Profit Organizations Committee, UN & International Organizations Committee, U.S. Lawyers Abroad Committee,

ABA ROL MENA

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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST 

★ Teleconference Only Event ★

FREE PROGRAM - REGISTER NOW!

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Unprecedented: The Global Refugee Crisis, Part 2 - Rights, Rule of Law, & Rational Remedies teleconference goes beyond the intimate Syrian refugee accounts shared during the first teleconference to explore this unprecedented humanitarian crisis from a larger, global context. The teleconference will begin with brief overview of the current refugee crisis, including the common causes of displacement and global trends. Next, the crisis will be examined from the perspective of those working on or near the front lines -e.g., aid workers, human rights lawyers and advocates, ABA entities, policymakers, and states impacted by the massive influx of refugees. These shared perspectives serve a dual purpose: to highlight the numerous obstacles and legal challenges faced by both refugees and the international community. Finally, the teleconference will highlight some of the successful efforts underway to resolve the underlying conflicts, protect and provide safe passage for refugees fleeing war-torn countries, and ensure the rule of law and basic human rights are observed.

There will be a brief Q&A session at the end of the program. Attendees may submit questions using one of the options below:

• Email at inthumrights@gmail.com
• Twitter via direct message (@ABAIHRC) 
• Twitter hashtag: #ABAGlobalRefugeeCrisis
• Please indicate which speaker your question is for.

Speakers:

• Joseph Jacob, Middle East Committee Vice Chair
• Gigi Nikpour, International Human Rights Committee Senior Advisor 
• Niki Dasarathy, ABA ROLI MENA Senior Advisor 
• Wassem Amin, Middle East Committee Co-Chair

Moderator: 

• Stephanie Williams, Section of International Law Human Rights Committee Co-Chair

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Global Refugee Crisis: Part 2 (Audio)

Global Refugee Crisis: Part 1 (Audio)

ABA IHRC End of Year Newsletter 2015

Happy New Year!!

Dear IHRC Supporters, 

We have come to the end of the year. Well, calendar year...that's because the ABA year runs from August to August. Still, this is the time of year when everyone who cares about those who support them give an accounting of what's been happening. And that's exactly what we've done in our 2015 End of the Year Newsletter. Please take a moment to read it and let us know if you have any great committee ideas for 2016. The only thing absolutely set in stone is our committee's commitment to the rule of law and advancement of human rights.

May your light burn bright and all your dreams and wishes come true in 2016! 

Thank you! 

ABA SIL International Human Rights Committee

The Global Refugee Crisis, Part 1: A True Account of a Syrian Refugee’s Journey to Safety (Free Teleconference)

A non-CLE program proudly presented by the ABA Section of International Law

Sponsored by the American Bar Association Section of International Law, International Human Rights Committee 

Co-Sponsored by the Section of International Law Middle East Committee, International Refugee Law Committee, and UN & Int'l Organizations Committee 

Friday, December 4, 2015 

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST 

★ Teleconference Only Event  ★

AUDIO RECORDING OF PART 1

The situation is Syria has reached critical mass. An estimated 240,000 Syrian, including 12,000 children, have been killed since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011. Over 1 million have been wounded or permanently disabled. Approximately 12 million Syrians have fled their homes, taking refuge in neighboring countries or within Syria itself. 

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 4 million have fled to Syria's immediate neighbors Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Another 6.5 million are internally displaced within Syria. More than 400,000 Syrians have risked their lives this year to travel to Europe, but under 150,000 Syrians have declared asylum in the European Union. Germany has pledged 35,000 places (75% of total EU) for Syrian refugees through its humanitarian programme. 

Excluding Germany and Sweden, which received 47% of the EU asylum application, the remaining 26 EU countries have pledged around 8,700 (approx 0.2%) resettlement places for Syrian refugees. Gulf countries (i.e, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain) and high income countries (i.e., Russia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea) have offered zero resettlement places to Syrian refugees. 

UNPRECEDENTED - The Global Refugee Crisis, Part 1: A True Account of a Syrian Refugee’s Journey to Safety is the first teleconference in a 2-part series aimed at addressing the unprecedented refugee crisis in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Part 1 provides an intimate look at the unfolding tragedy, as told by two Syrian-born men. 

Joseph F. Jacob (“Joseph 1”) is a Syrian-born American lawyer in New York. He will begin the discussion with a brief historical account of the events that led up to the current war and unprecedented refugee crisis. This will be followed a more personal account of how Mr. Jacob’s helped his eight member family escaped war-torn Syria and what steps he took to secure their safe arrival in America. 

Joseph Khoury (“Joseph 2”) is a 50 year old Syrian who lived with his family, his wife, a college age boy and a middle school age girl in Aleppo, Syria until 2014. He will detail his harrowing escape from Syria and arrival to Greece, where he was detained for several weeks before being allowed to complete his journey and reunite with his family in Germany. 

There will be a brief Q&A session after both gentlemen speak. Attendees may submit questions using one of the options below. 

• Email at inthumrights@gmail.com 
• Twitter via direct message (@ABAIHRC) 
• Twitter hashtag: #ABASyriansSpeak 

Please indicate if your question is for Joseph 1, Joseph 2, or both speakers.

Speakers: 

• Joseph Jacob, Section of International Law Middle East Committee Vice Chair 
• Joseph Khoury, Syrian refugee/ Invited Guest 

Moderator: 

• Stephanie Williams, Section of International Law Human Rights Committee Co-Chair

ABA SIL Fall Conference 2015: When Failing Governments Fail, Part 1 & 2

Section Press Release                                                                                  

October 21, 2015

The ABA Section of International is currently hosting its Fall 2015 Conference in beautiful Montréal, Canada.

This Fall Meeting provides a great opportunity to meet with leaders in the Section and to make contacts that can last a lifetime. The Section’s 60+ committees are its true heart and will be front and center at this Meeting. Committees will have many opportunities to meet giving all attendees a chance to visit with one or more committees – whether you are an existing member of the committee or are just exploring! In addition to incredible networking opportunities, the Fall Meeting will feature more than 65 panels highlighting different aspects of the theme of the conference – “Globalization and the Importance of Law, Language and Culture.” These panels will feature speakers from around the world on a variety of topics. -ABA Section of International Law Chairs

On behalf of the ABA SIL International Human Rights Committee, we cordially invite all section members to join our 2-part panel discussion on Friday, October 23rd. See panel flyer, attached.

When Failing Governments Fail, Part 1: Human Rights and Rule of Law Consequences

Date: October 23, 2015

Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am EST

Location: Mackenzie Room

Panel Description:  This program consists of two parts—Part One will review how donor governments and their private and public entities assess and address the human impact of aid to governments and designated recipients that fail in their international human rights obligations. Using a multi-media panel presentation, this panel will present specific examples of how aid has been misused by failing governments to the detriment of the human rights of their citizens and will discuss the international legal obligations of donor and recipient states.

Primary Sponsoring Committees: Seasoned Lawyers Interest Network (SIN), International Human Rights Committee

Panel Chair: Robert E. Lutz, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA Panel

Chair & Moderator: Greg MacKenzie, The Hurley Firm, Albuquerque, NM

Speakers:

• Tariq Sayed Ahmad, M.A.I.D., Researcher, Aid Effectiveness, Oxfam America, Washington, DC Michael Barnett, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
• A. Peter Castro, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
• Tammie Smith, Tahrir International for Human Rights, Richardson, TX

When Failing Governments Fail, Part 2: Tools for Legal and Business Professionals

Date: October 23, 2015

Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm EST

Location: Mackenzie Room

Panel Description: Continuing the theme of “When Failing Governments Fail,” Part Two of this 2-part program focuses on the practice of transnational lawyers, business persons, and the types of situations raising ethical and human rights concerns in rule of law-challenged countries and failed governments. The panel—representing a range of practicing perspectives—will offer advice, strategies and tools for addressing the myriad of challenges confronting the transnational legal professional and businessman. We are seeking Ethics CLE accreditation for this panel.

Primary Sponsoring Committees: Seasoned Lawyers Interest Network (SIN), International Human Rights Committee

Co-Sponsoring Committees: Foreign Legal Consultant Committee, International Ethics Committee, International Legal Education and Specialist Certification Committee, Transnational Legal Practice Committee

Panel Chair: Greg MacKenzie, The Hurley Firm, Albuquerque, NM Panel

Chair & Moderator: Robert E. Lutz, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA

Speakers:

• Don De Amicis, Former General Counsel, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Washington, DC
• Jennifer Egsgard, Sills & Egsgard, Toronto, ON, Canada
• Carol Mates, International Finance Corporation (ret.), Washington, DC
• Stephen Powell, University of Florida (ret.), and co-author, “Just Trade…”, Gainesville, FL

Can’t attend the conference? No problem. This year we are broadcasting portions of the panel discussions in real-time via Periscope and Twitter. Click here to learn how you can stream and participate in the IHRC’s Panel Discussion from the comfort of your office or home using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

*Attendees: Don't forget to download Section’s app and use the Twitter hashtag ‪#‎ABASILMontreal‬ Fall Meeting to stay updated during conference.

Co-Chairs: Greg MacKenzie, Tammie Smith Long, & Stephanie Williams

ABA, Section of International Law, International Human Rights Committee

ABA SIL Fall Conference 2015: How the IHRC is Using Social Media Apps to Reach Broader Audience

The ABA Section of International Fall Conference in Montréal, Canada is currently underway. Our committee is sponsoring a two-part panel discussion, When Failing Governments. We're also trying something new this year in an effort to include anyone unable to make the trip to Canada. IHRC Co-Chair Tammie Long-Smith is going to broadcast portions of our committee's panel discussion in real-time using two popular social media apps: Periscope and Twitter.

Continue reading to learn how you can stream and participate in the IHRC’s Panel Discussion from the comfort of your office or home using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

ABA SIL IHRC PANEL DISCUSSIONS

When Failing Governments Fail, Part 1: Human Rights and Rule of Consequences

Friday, October 23 at 9:00 am - 10:30 am EST

When Failing Governments Fail, Part 2: Tools for Legal and Business Professionals

Friday, October 23 at 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EST

HOW TO USE PERISCOPE & TWITTER APPS TO WATCH IHRC PANEL DISCUSSION

1. Download or sign into the Periscope App (iTune Store | Android Store)

2. Sign-in or Setup a Twitter Account

3. Follow Co-Chair Tammie Long-Smith on Twitter @tammielongmedia

4. Skim one of the guides below to learn how use and watch Periscope on Twitter

• Easy Guide to the Periscope Video Streaming App

• Periscope Tutorial: How to [and Why] Use Twitter’s Periscope on iOS

• How to Use Periscope for Android: Your A to Z Tutorial

Note - Periscope is now available in the Android store. The link is embedded above (see #1).

Those who sign-up correctly should receive a notification when Tammie starts to broadcast and you can join the panel discussion in real-time.

Keep in mind that this is our first time trying this and there may be technical difficulties. Be patient and be respectful if asking a question or making a comment.

Should you need to reach Co-Chair Tammie Long-Smith you can send her a direct message via Twitter (@tammielongmedia) or send her an email at tsmith126@hotmail.com.

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*Attendees: Don't forget to download Section’s app and use the Twitter hashtag ‪#‎ABASILMontreal‬ Fall Meeting to stay updated during conference.

PLIGHT & PROSPECTS: The Landscape for Cause Lawyers in China

Plight & Prospects: The Landscape for Cause Lawyers in China from ABA IHRC

Courtesy of the Leitner Center for International Law & Justice, Committee to Support Chinese Lawyers at Fordham Law School, New York,  this report is divided into six sections: 

1. The first section provides an overview of the context of the report and the background to the research. 

2.  The second section provides an overview of the basic international legal framework governing the independence of lawyers. 

3. The third section addresses the background of the crackdown, providing a historical perspective as well as an analysis of the origins and triggers of the latest crackdown. 

4. The fourth section describes the specific government practices being used in the crackdown, including law-based measures to control and restrict the work of lawyers inside and outside the courtroom, and extra-legal measures, including illegal detentions, enforced disappearances, and physical attacks, and other persecution tactics, including direct harassment of lawyers and pressure exerted on their friends and families. 

5. The fifth section sketches an outline of the ways forward that these lawyers are exploring and the movement for the rule of law in China more broadly, and explains how both legal training and advocacy can help bolster the movement going forward. 

6.  The final section contains the Committee’s conclusions and a series of recommendations to the Chinese government, both in terms of changes to current practice, legislative and other legal reforms, and individual cases, and to the international community.

ABA Section of International Law 2015 Fall Meeting

The ABA Section of International Law invites you to attend its 2015 Fall Meeting in the multicultural and charming city of Montréal, Canada from October 20-24, 2015. Join over 1,100 leaders and experts, policy makers, judges academics, lawyers from non-governmental organizations, in-house counsel and law students for three days of networking and programming on the latest international legal and ethics issues.

 The 2015 Fall Meeting will offer you:
 • Over 65 cutting edge panel sessions examining this year’s theme: Globalization and the Importance of Law, Language and Culture. Plus, an entire year’s worth of U.S. CLE/Canadian CPD.

 • Interactive programming covering dispute resolution, legal and regulatory issues, business and finance, human rights, sports and entertainment, trade and the impact of culture on law and business.

 • Exclusive networking opportunities each day including twice daily networking breaks, a home hospitality night, receptions at Cirque Eloize, the Montreal Science Center- The Belvedere , a relaxed reception featuring Canadian cuisine and beer tasting, and a Friday night after-hours reception.

 Register now and save! Discounted Early Bird rates expire September 8. Rates are further discounted for young lawyers (35 years and under), full time government and NGO employees, academics, law students, corporate counsel, solo / small practice and retired attorneys.

FINAL BROCHURE

REGISTRATION

FAIRMONT HOTEL RESERVATION

Also, please be aware that your committee will have several opportunities to meet throughout the meeting. There will be a committee breakfast meeting, a committee luncheon on the Thursday of the conference (for $25), and the committee dinners on Wednesday. You will be getting a list of restaurant suggestions for the Wednesday dinner soon.

ABA International Human Rights Committee Wins Three Awards, R&R Adopted at 2015 Annual Conference

Congratulations to the entire International Human Rights Committee, which won the ABA Outstanding Committee Award. This award is given to one committee for demonstrating excellence in its commitment to its mandate and showing productivity and advancing knowledge and expertise of bar members. Great job everyone!

Congratulations to Stephanie Williams and Joseph Jacob, 2014-2015 IHRC Vice Chairs of Communication and Social Media, for winning the 2015 Best Social Media and Website Award! It is worth noting that Stephanie and Jacob received the same award last year. It is well-deserved and we appreciate all of the hard work.

Congratulations to Greg McKenzie, who was recently appointed Co-Chair of the IHRC, for winning the 2015 Best Committee Program Award. Mr. McKenzie's program at the Fall 2014 Buenos Aires Conference not only received high praise but also made the Buenos Aires Herald newspaper. Kudos Greg, you did a stellar job!

But wait, there's more good news! The ABA House of Delegates voted to adopt the International Human Rights Committee's Election Monitoring R&R. The committee's R&R is now the official position of the entire American Bar Association. The Election Monitoring R&R recommends the monitoring the of U.S. election per our OSCE participation. IHRC Vice Chair Catherine ("Cathy") Vernon lead the drafting team, but credit is due to all the IHRC members who dedicated their precious time, energy and skills to make this happen!

These awards above were present on behalf of the committees at the 2015 ABA Annual Meeting, held July 30- August 4, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois.

We'd like to thank the ABA Section of International Law for recognizing our committee and its dedicated members.

Additionally, we'd like to extend a special thanks to you - our fans and supporters, for promoting our committee and participating in programs, teleconference, special projects and events. We couldn't do anything without you!