2014 Human Rights Lecture Details Announced

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THE HALDANE SOCIETY OF SOCIALIST LAWYERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MANSFIELD STUDENT LAW SOCIETY, LONDON MET UNIVERSITY

invites you to attend our Human Rights Lectures 2014 - 2015

Wednesday 22nd October:

Legal Aid –a defence of the fourth pillar of the welfare state
Speaker: Matt Foot, co-founder of Justice Alliance, criminal defence solicitor with Birnberg Peirce and Partners

6.30pm - 8pm
Basement Lecture Theatre (GSB01), School of Law, London Metropolitan University,
16 Goulston Street, London E1 7TP.

Free entry. We regret that CPD points are not currently available. For more information and updated information, see www.haldane.org.

FORTHCOMING LECTURES:

Wednesday 19th November:
Holding the executive to account: Parliament and the Courts, an MP’s perspective
Speaker: JohnMcDonnell MP
followed by Haldane Society Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 3rd December:
Fracking: the protests and the court cases
Speakers: Tom Wainwright, criminal barrister at Garden Court Chambers; and Melanie Strickland, activist in Reclaim the Power and solicitor

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Haldane Society condemns prosecution of Indian anti-rape campaigners

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The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers condemns the treatment of anti-rape activists in Delhi by the police. Following the protest which took place on 19th December 2012 following the rape at Sheila Dixit's house, activists of AISA, RYA and AIPWA (including AIPWA Secretary Kavita Krishnan, AISA activists Anmol Rattan of DU and Om Prasad of JNU, and RYA activist Aslam Khan) have learned that a charge-sheet has been filed against them.

This stands in the background of a protest during which water cannons were used for the first time against anti-rape protesters and an action which led to the catalysation of thousands following calls for a woman's right to be "adventurous" and rejecting curbs on the freedom of women in the name of "protection". 

The South Asia Solidarity Group believes that given the long period of time between the protest and the laying of the charge-sheet, the decision to charge these activists is a political move meant to criminalise those fighting for women's freedom. 

The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers supports the women in India who are fighting for sexual equality and an end to patriarchal social policies. The Haldane Society also condemns the criminalisation of political protest and calls for the charges against the activists in Delhi to be dropped. 

Haldane Feminist Lawyers 2014 Reading Group

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The Haldane Feminist Lawyers will be holding our second annual autumn reading group.  Our book for this year will be Borderline Justice, by Frances Webber. 

Please find more details of the book published by Pluto Press and details of how to order here: http://www.plutobooks.com/display.asp?K=978074533163. You can order online or Bookmarks has confirmed that it is currently in stock with them. This text opens up a number of discussion points on the racism, classism, and sexism which is showcased in the UK's immigration policy. 

Our reading group will be taking place at the London Action Resource Centre  (http://www.londonarc.org/), whose location is less than 5 minutes from Whitechapel tube station on the District, Hammersmith and City, and Overground lines. The address is 62 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1ES. 

The sessions will be held every other Monday beginning on 29th September 2014 from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Timetable

1) Monday 29th September 2014 at 6.30pm

Foreword by Gareth Peirce

Introduction

Chapter 1: The War on Asylum: Preventing Entry

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2) Monday 13th October 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 2: Struggles for Fair Decision-Making

Chapter 3: More Obstacles to Justice

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3) Monday 27th October 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 4: You’re Not a Refugee

Chapter 5: The Erosion of the Law of Humanity

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4) Monday 10th November 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 6: Migration Management in the Market State

Chapter 7: The Fight for Family Life

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5) Monday 24th November 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 8: Prisoners of Immigration Control

Chapter 9: The Growth of the Internal Border Force

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6) Monday 8th December 2014 at 6.30pm

Chapter 10: The Deportation Drive

Chapter 11: Enemies of the State

 & Final Session and Post-Session Social

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You do not have to attend all of the sessions, and if you miss one, you will be able to attend the next one without issue.

Men are welcome to attend as well and LARC and the HFL adhere to a safe space policy.

Email feminism@haldane.org with any queries.

Haldane Society Supports the Extraordinary Session of the Russell Tribunal

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Israel’s Crimes in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge – Extraordinary session of the Russell Tribunal

24-25 September – Brussels – Albert Hall, Brussel

A few weeks ago, members of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, outraged by Israel’s terrible assault on Gaza and its population, decided to start working on an extraordinary session of the Tribunal that will look into Israel’s Crimes (including War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and the Crime of Genocide) during the still ongoing “Operation Protective Edge” as well as third States complicity.

During this session, that will take place on one day in Brussels on 24th September, our jury, so far composed of Michael Mansfield QC (President of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyer), John Dugard, Vandana Shiva, Christiane Hessel, Richard Falk, Ahdaf Soueif, Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, Roger Waters and Ronnie Kasrils will listen to testimonies from Paul Behrens, Desmond Travers, Pierre Barbancey (TBC), Max Blumenthal, Eran Efrati, Mads Gilbert, Mohammed Abou-Arab, Mads Gilbert, Paul Mason, Martin Lejeune, Mohammed Omer, Raji Sourani, Ashraf Mashharawi and Ivan Karakashian.

The jury will give its findings on 25th September in the morning during an international press conference at the International Press Center (IPC, Brussels). In the afternoon, the Jury will be received at the European parliament and address a message to the UN General Assembly for its reopening.

To register for the session (free), email your name and organisation to rtpgaza@gmail.com

Free Talha Asan!

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The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers looks forward to welcoming Talha Ahsan home to Britain on his release from custody in the US.  He committed no offence under British law and we question why he was extradited to the United States. He was detained for six years in Britain and then for another two years in the States, the latter period in solitary confinement in a supermax prison. No one should ever have to endure those conditions. He is one of the victims of the war on terror. We congratulate his family, friends and supporters on their tenacious campaign for his freedom, resulting in him being sentenced to “time served” and released.

For more information on the campaign to free Talha Asan, see http://freetalha.org.

Haldane Response to Delivering Civil Justice in an Age of Austerity

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The Haldane Society has responded to Justice's consultation on "Delivering Civil Justice in an Age of Austerity".

Whilst we understand that the purpose of the working party’s consultation is to find cheaper ways of delivering justice, we do not agree with the current prevailing economic philosophy that severe cuts in public services need to be made. We continue to argue that legal aid should be expanded, not cut. When the legal aid scheme was first introduced, in 1949, around 80% of the population was financially eligible for legal aid in comparison with less than a third today. We believe that financial eligibility should return to the levels that it was in 1949. The costs of this could be recouped through taxation.

Download the response (pdf).

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Haldane Joins IADL in Condemnation of Israeli Attack on Gaza

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The Haldane Society has endorsed the following statement by the International Association of Democratic Lawyers

IADL condemns in the strongest possible terms the bombing and attacking of civilians in the West Bank and Gaza and cals upon the international community to demand an end to this offensive and hold Israel accountable.

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, a non-governmental organization with consultative status at ECOSOC and other UN agencies condemns as gross violations of international humanitarian law the bombing of civilians and civilian objects in Gaza; in particular the targeting of homes, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure. IADL also condemns the attacks on civilians in West Bank including the specific targeting of leaders of political parties and the resumption of massive home demolitions.  This is the third major bombing attack on Gaza since Israel removed its settlements there in 2005 and imposed the siege which has lasted many years.

IADL demands that the bombing be stopped and that the international community must hold Israel and its ally the United States accountable for these war crimes.

Ten years ago the International Court of Justice in its “Advisory Opinion on the “Legal Consequences of the Construction of the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territories” declared the construction of the wall to be illegal under international law. The Court decided that Israel could not claim it had to build the wall in “self-defense” as the Palestinians constitute a people under Israeli occupation and are therefore not a "foreign" threat for the purposes of Article 51 of the UN Charter.  For the same legal reasons, Israel cannot claim that the bombing of Gaza is “self-defense” as the Palestinians have a right to resist illegal occupation.

IADL believes that these bombings of civilians are crimes against humanity as they are inhuman acts against a civilian population in connection with a crime against peace. Additionally they are illegal collective punishment and violate the laws of war regarding proportionality.

IADL calls upon the international community to hold Israel responsible for grave violations of international law.