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Judicial Independence: What, Why, Threats and Need for New Law
Join the Monique and Roland Weyl People’s Academy of International Law for a seminar exploring how international law upholds judicial independence and impartiality—and where it falls short in addressing contemporary threats. With examples ranging from political interference in the U.S. judiciary to international noncompliance with ICC arrest warrants, the program situates judicial independence as a cornerstone of the rule of law and fair trial guarantees. Through expert analysis by leading human rights and constitutional lawyers, the seminar examines current legal protections, identifies systemic vulnerabilities, and proposes pathways for strengthening global legal standards in the face of rising authoritarianism and emergency rule.
Faculty: Neri Colmenares, National Union of People‘s Lawyers in the Philippines, Natali Segovia, Executive Director and Senior Attorney, Water Protector Legal Collective in U.S., Salahuddin Ahmed, Former President of Sindh High Court Bar Association in Pakistan
Seminar materials and education are available in English, Spanish, and French.
About the People's Academy
The People’s Academy of International Law, which is sponsored by the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, seeks to help anti-imperialist lawyers and human rights advocates globally to marshal the tools of international law to support people’s struggles.
The Academy features free, online legal education curriculum that provides intensive learning about different facets of international law related to human rights, including civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights. The People’s Academy is a non-government organization that is run by volunteers and funded by donations from individuals.
The International Association of Democratic Lawyers
Since its founding in 1946 in Paris, International Association of Democratic Lawyers members have participated in the struggles that have made the violation of human rights of groups and individuals and threats to international peace and security, legal issues under international law. From its inception, IADL members throughout the globe have protested racism, colonialism, and economic and political injustice wherever they interfere with legal and human rights, often at the cost of these jurists personal safety and economic well being.
IADL is the organizer of the People’s Academy of International Law, and is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with consultative status to ECOSOC and UNESCO.
Our Founding Dean and Scientific Committee
The People’s Academy of International Law is led by our Founding Dean, Marjorie Cohn, along with our Academy Task Force and the Scientific Committee of the People’s Academy of International Law.
This global group of scholars, lawyers and human rights defenders is committed to producing academically excellent, anti-imperialist, meaningful legal education for use by lawyers, legal workers, law students and people’s movements.
