TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jan 24, 2024

Today is recognized as the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, an observance that recognizes the courage of legal professionals who work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law and champion human rights at risk to their own safety. According to a statement from ABA President Mary Smith, this year’s recognition focuses on the situation in Iran, where since 2022, some 66 lawyers have been arrested and detained for defending those held by Iranian security forces for participating in human rights protests. But Smith notes that lawyers, judges and their staff around the world face harassment, including in the United States, where she says there is a “troubling increase” in “intimidation and threats of violence.”