Colombia Caravana Training Day - Justice and the Legal System

On 22nd July the 40 delegates going to Colombia in August, attended a Training Day on Colombia - Justice and the Legal System.

The excellent presentations gave delegates an insight into the situation in Colombia, in particular the issues faced by lawyers.

Below is a list of speakers, further information and reading.

Welcome and Introduction 

Courtenay Barklem, Human Rights Adviser, Law Society of England and Wales

Read transcript

Overview of the situation in Colombia

Liam Craig Best, Justice for Colombia

Read transcript 

Read more about Justice For Colombia

Colombia's international relations

Elizabeth Mayhew Read Transcript

FCO assessment of Colombia and its involvement

Tony Kay, head of the Andean Team at the Foreign Office: . Read Transcript

Justice and Peace Law

Peter Burbidge, Westminster University . Read More

Further reading on Demobilisation Fride working paper 2008 

Miguel Puerto, International Centre of Trade Union Rights: legal system in Colombia. Read more about ICTUR

Morgane Landel, a representative from Solicitors International Human Rights Group spoke about her experiences in Colombia as part of the SIHRG Colombia Solidarity Campaign. Read Transcript

Read her report

Louise Winstanley, Peace Brigades International: criminalisation of lawyers in Colombia.

Mariela Kohon, Justice for Colombia: regional information

More information about the Legal System in Colombia

Julian Higuera and Enrique Prietor, Colombia law students were present to discuss their experiences.  Read their document on the Colombian law profession

Kathryn Hodson research on Colombian Legal System Read more

Colombian Law Digest Reviser

Further Reading: Reports and articles on the situation in Colombia

Advocats sans Frontiers

ASF's project in Colombia aims to improve the security, the independence and the training of lawyers in Colombia. In addition it aims to get the authorities and civil society to recognize the legitimacy of their function and the necessity to guarantee a specific protection for them.

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