Volunteer JuristsGönüllü Hukukçular

Who we are

Volunteer Jurists

A professional, non-political, non-profit and international association, aiming to combat human rights violations against all lawyers around the world.

Volunteer Jurists is a non-profit, non-governmental human rights association based in Geneva.

Founded by former members of the Turkish judiciary, the association was born from a profound commitment to justice, shaped by their own experiences as victims of grave human rights violations, including arbitrary imprisonment, mass dismissal, and unfair trials.

With the dedication of its members and a network of volunteers, Volunteer Jurists actively advocates against human rights violations worldwide, striving to uphold the principles of justice, freedom, independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

Our mission

The association was founded in Zurich, Switzerland, on 18 February 2020. Its main aim is to safeguard the independence of the judiciary, an essential requirement of the judicial function and a guarantee for human rights and freedoms. As an independent non-governmental organisation, it defends human rights and freedoms through national and international co-operation, to ensure the fair implementation of international covenants and conventions, working closely with governments, NGOs and other associations to foster a cooperative dialogue on human rights.

Objects of the association

As stated in our statute

  1. To disseminate, promote and defend democracy, human rights, the rule of law, judicial independence and freedoms, in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of the United Nations, before the competent international bodies and human rights mechanisms.
  2. To assist, guide and support victims of human rights and judicial independence violations.
  3. To take the necessary steps to access the appropriate human rights and judicial independence mechanisms globally.
  4. To establish appropriate partnerships and professional dialogue with local, national and international authorities, the United Nations, Council of Europe and European Union entities, Permanent Missions, academic institutions, civil society, the private sector, members of the judiciary and jurists who share its values.
  5. To follow up challenges or threats to judicial independence and practices adversely affecting it.
  6. To help judges and jurists when they face threats or challenges to judicial independence.