Human Rights Lawyers Welcome First Conviction of Anti-Abortion Protestor under Victoria’s Safe Access Zone Laws

posted on October 14, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has welcomed a Victorian Magistrates Court decision this week which confirmed the lawfulness of safe access zones around reproductive health clinics in Victoria and saw the first conviction of an anti-abortion protestor under the legislation. These important legislative measures make it unlawful to harass and intimidate people or to … Read More >>

Larrikinism under threat – Free Speech but only for bigots? Lawyers strongly condemn criminalisation of Political Comment and Satire

posted on October 13, 2017

“Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has stated its opposition to proposed amendments to the Commonwealth Criminal Code* which create an offence for conduct which could be taken as implying that the person represents either a real or fictitious Commonwealth body. Such conduct is punishable with up to five (5) years imprisonment where there is … Read More >>

Abandoning further human rights STILL does not make us safer

posted on October 9, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) renews its call for a Commonwealth Human Rights Act amid fears the Australian Government is once more abandoning vital principles that form the bedrock of our criminal justice system in knee-jerk anti-terror proposals – this time involving extended incarceration without charge, a database of biometric facial recognition of all … Read More >>

How a human rights viewpoint can help combat youth suicide

posted on October 9, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) supports those submissions to the NSW Parliamentary Committee on Children and Young People’s current Inquiry into the prevention of youth suicide which call for improvements to the care of LGBTI students and for improvements to school anti-bullying and teaching programmes. “It is extremely disturbing,” say LGBTI Committee Co-Chairs Nicholas … Read More >>

Stop the Deaths

posted on October 9, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is extremely saddened by the recent death of a man on Manus Island. Scott Cosgriff, co-chair of ALHR’s Refugee Rights Subcommittee said, “This is the ninth death since offshore processing began in August 2012 and the second on Manus in only the last two months.” “This tragedy, like those … Read More >>

ALHR WA HUMAN RIGHTS PANEL DISCUSSION IN PERTH A BIG HIT

posted on September 25, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is pleased to announce the success of its event, ‘Human Rights in Western Australia – An ALHR Panel Discussion’, held in Perth on the evening of Thursday 14 September 2017. ALHR was joined by esteemed panellists Chris Evans, CEO of Walk Free Foundation, Catherine Eagle, Principal Solicitor of Welfare … Read More >>

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) Speaks out in Support of 56 Lawyers Summarily Suspended in Maldives After Calling for Judicial Reform

posted on September 20, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has joined a number of prominent international non-governmental organisations in calling on the Supreme Court of the Maldives to rescind the indefinite suspension of 56 lawyers who signed a joint petition raising concerns over the conduct of the judiciary and calling for judicial reforms and independence. Following receipt of … Read More >>

Human rights lawyers call for Australia to take action on organ trafficking and organ tourism

posted on September 19, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has welcomed the opportunity to make a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Inquiry into Human Organ Trafficking and Organ Transplant Tourism. The Inquiry is seeking to examine whether Australia’s federal criminal laws should extend to conduct that occurs overseas, and whether Australia … Read More >>

Human rights lawyers call for recommendations from People with Disabilities Report to be applied across ACT

posted on September 6, 2017

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is calling for all 32 recommendations from the report by the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services to be immediately applied across all organisations in the Australian Capital Territory to ensure people with disabilities have equal opportunities to employment. ALHR supports all the recommendations including a standalone … Read More >>