The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM) implements its legal aid through:
- Representation and defense of victims who have had their human rights violated
- Promotion of human rights
- Advocating for the respect of and improvement of human rights
- Advocating for the adoption of a declaration and resolution concerning the obligation of States to respect human rights
- Defense of Human Rights Defenders
- Strategic litigation
- Representation before the European Court of Human Rights
- Representation before the UN Committee of Human Rights
- Representation before other bodies and organs; and
- Monitoring the trials.
YUCOM’s activities in the area of human rights presents the realization of rights proclaimed by the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms adopted by the General Assembly UN on 8 March, 1999.
The provisions of declaration predict the special protection of Human Rights Defenders and establish the rights of Human Rights Defenders:
- to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels
- to form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups
- to communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations
- to know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access to information as to how those rights and freedoms are put into effect in domestic legislative, judicial or administrative systems
- to develop and discuss new human rights ideas and principles and to advocate their acceptance
- to submit to governmental bodies, agencies and organizations concerned with public affairs criticism and proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work that may hinder or impede the promotion, protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms
- to complain about the policies and actions of individual officials and governmental bodies with regard to violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, through petitioning or other appropriate means, to competent domestic judicial, administrative or legislative authorities or any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State, which should render their decision on the complaint without undue delay
- to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms
- to attend public hearings, proceedings and trials so as to form an opinion on their compliance with national law and applicable international obligations and commitments
- to facilitate unhindered access to communication with international bodies with general or special competence to receive and consider communications on matters of human rights and fundamental freedoms
- to benefit from an effective remedy and to be protected in the event of violation of those rights
- to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means
- to be protected effectively under national law in reacting against or opposing, through peaceful means, activities and acts, including those by omission, attributable to States that result in violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as acts of violence perpetrated by groups or individuals that affect the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms
