"Rule of Law" letters by the ABA president to national governments express the Association's concerns about alleged intimidation, harassment, or abuse of lawyers, judges, and human rights advocates.  Each letter reflects the ABA's independent research and analysis of the facts and relevant human rights instruments in each case, and copies are sent to the U.S. Secretary of State and other relevant officials.  Drafts are reviewed by the Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities, the Section of International Law, and the Standing Committee on Law and National Security, among other entities.

ALGERIA | BELARUS | CHINA | COLOMBIA | CROATIA | CUBA | EGYPT | HAITI | INDONESIA | 
IRELAND | ISRAEL | JORDAN | KENYA | MALAYSIA | MEXICO | NIGERIA | PAKISTAN | 
PERU | PHILIPPINES | SERBIA | SINGAPORE | SUDAN | TUNISIA | TURKEY | UNITED STATES
USSR | ZIMBABWE

Country

ALGERIA

Abuse, detention and prosecution of Mr. Rachid Mesli, defense attorney for the Islamic Salvation Front
March, 1997 - President N. Lee Cooper

Harassment and Imprisonment of attorneys Brahim Taouti and Maitre Ali Zouita, members of the Islamic Salvation Front defense team
May, 1993 - President J. Michael McWilliams

BELARUS

Alleged reprimand of Vera Stremkovskaya for criticizing the Belarus government and possible criminal charges for representing politically unpopular defendants
April, 1999 - President Philip S. Anderson

CHINA

Interference with legal rights of political prisoner Wang Juntao
November, 1992 - President J. Michael McWilliams

General Rule of Law communication prompted by Tiamanmen Square actions
June, 1989 - President Robert D. Raven

COLOMBIA

Rule of Law letter to President Uribe Vélez regarding reported threats to lawyers
July 2006 - President Michael S. Greco

Intimidation and interogation of Dr. Jorge Eduardo Chemas
December, 2001 - President Robert E. Hirshon

Murder of human rights lawyers Marcos Sanchez Castellon and Pedro Nel Jimenez
September, 1988 - President Robert D. Raven

CROATIA

Criminal investigation of Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, President of the Croatian Helskinki Committee for Human Rights
November, 1997 - President Jerome J. Shestack

CUBA

Arrest and prosecution of over 70 independent, peaceful activists including journalists, economists and human rights advocates
August 2003 - Alfred P. Carlton, Jr., President

Harassment of Dr. Rene Gomez Manzano, defense attorney for dissidents
July, 1996 - President Roberta Cooper Ramo

EGYPT

Rule of Law letter to President Mubarak regarding prosecution and conviction of Professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim and his colleagues
August 2002 - President Robert E. Hirshon

Death of attorney Abdel-Harith Mandani, member of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
June 1994 - President R. William Ide III

HAITI

Disappearance of Laraque Exantus, a substitute public prosecutor
April 1994 - President R. William Ide III

Designation of Haiti as a country for Temporary Protected Status (sent to Acting US Attorney General, William Barr)
November 1991 - Robert D. Evans, Directory, ABA Government Affairs Office

INDONESIA

Disappearance of Desmond J. Mahesa, lawyer and human rights advocate; Pius Lustrilanang, Secretary-Feneral of the Indonesian Solidarity for Amien Rais and Megawait
March 1998 - President Jerome J. Shestack

Harassment of Mr. Bambang Widjojanto, head of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
November 1996 - President N. Lee Cooper

Detention of Muchtar Pakpaham, Leader of the Indonesian People's Council
November, 1996 - President N. Lee Cooper

IRELAND

Investigation into the murder of human rights lawyer, Rosemary Nelson
July 1999 - President Phillip S. Anderson

Police conduct towards lawyers defending parties charged with terrorism-related offenses and denial of rights for defendants in such cases
July 1998 - President Jerome J. Shestack

ISRAEL

Detention of Raji Khadar Sourani, Gaza defense lawyer
August 1998 - President Robert D. Raven

JORDAN

Prohibition of Jordan Bar Association members to represent Israeli citizens before the courts in Jordan
January 2000 - President William G. Paul

KENYA

Firebombing of the office of Kituo Cha Sheria, legal aid organization
June 1995 - President George E. Bushnell, Jr.

Refusal by authorities of the Republic of Kenya to return to Gibson Kamau Kuria his passport
September 1988 - President Robert D. Raven

Arrest and detention of Gibson Kamau Kuria, Kenyan lawyer and law lecturer
August 1987 - President Eugene C. Thomas

MALAYSIA

Contempt of Court proceeding again Manjeet Singh Dhillon, Secretary of the Malaysian Bar Council
Mlay 1990 - President L. Stanley Chauvin, Jr.

MEXICO

Support for the continued investigation of the murder of human rights advocate, Digna Ochoa
2002 - President Robert E. Hirshon

Mexico's Response to President Hirshon's Letter
English
Spanish

Safety of human rights leader and lawyer Dr. Maria Teresa Jardi, her son, Dr. Julian Andrade Jardi and Hector Gutierrez Ugalde
July 1996 - President Roberta Cooper Ramo

NIGERIA

Concern about the alleged arrest and physical assault of Olisa Agbakoba, Nigerian human rights lawyer
March 1998 - Jerome J. Shestack

PAKISTAN

Regarding the state of emergency and detention of lawyers and human rights advocates
November 2007 - President William H. Neukom

Regarding the suspension of Chief Justice Chaudhry
April 2007 - President Karen J. Mathis

Defense counsel for Ayub Masih
July 1998 - President Jerome J. Shestack

PERU

Prosecution of Heriberto Benitez, human rights lawyer
October, 1997 - President Jerome J. Shestack

Penal proceedings against Carlos Chipoco Caceda, human rights lawyer
January 1993 - President J. Michael McWilliams

Murder of Manuel Febres and harassment of special prosecutor Carlos Escobar Pineda
February 1989 - President Robert D. Raven

PHILIPPINES

Threats against and harassment of lawyers Romero T. Capulang, Marie Yuviengco, and Rolando Rico Olalia
March 1998 - President Jerome J. Shestack

SERBIA

Allegations of assault on Mr. Nikola Barovic, human rights lawyer and advocate
September 1987 - President Jerome J. Shestack

SINGAPORE

Detention of Teo Soh Lunch, founding member of the Crimina Legal Aid Scheme of the Singapore Law Society and ammendments to the Internal Security Act
January 1990 - President L. Stanley Chauvin, Jr.

SUDAN

Alleged arrest of Ali Alsayed, leading member of the Alliance for the Restoration and Democracy (ARD) and several other ARD lawyers
June 1998 - President Jerome J. Shestack

Reports regarding death sentences for thirteen persons tried before a special criminal court
December 1997 - President Jerome J. Shestack

Reports regarding the arrests of thirteen lawyers in Khartoum
August 1997 - President Jerome J. Shestack

Dissolution of the Sudanese Bar Association and the detention of five members of the Bar's Executive Council
January 1990 - President L. Stanley Chauvin, Jr.

TUNISIA

Break in and burglary of the offices of Advocate Radhia Nasraoui, human rights lawyer
March 1998 - President Jerome J. Shestack

Detention of Mohammed Nejib Hosni, human rights lawyer
October 1994 - President George E. Bushnell, Jr.

TURKEY

Charges against Hasan Dogan
October 1997 - President Jerome J. Shestack

UNITED STATES

The Worsening International Humanitarian Crisis in Darfur, Sudan
March 15, 2004 – President Robert J. Grey, Jr.

Action by the United States to Address the Crisis in Darfur
May 20, 2004 – President Dennis W. Archer

UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights support
June 1993 - President J. Michael McWilliams

USSR

Trial of Ivan Makar
October 1988 - President Robert D. Raven

ZIMBABWE

Crackdown on Law Society of Zimbabwe members
June 30, 2008 – President William H. Neukom

Attack and detention of citizens at opposition meeting outside Harare
April 4, 2007 – President Karen J. Mathis

Arrest and detention of Sernford Moyo and Wilbert Mapombere, President and Secretary, respectively, of the Zimbabwean Law Society
July 2002 - President Robert E. Hirshon