IABA Press Release
June 3rd, 2009
INTER-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
1211 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Suite 202,
Washington D.C. 20036 USA. ●
Tel
202-466-5944 ● Fax 202-466-5946 ● E-Mail: iaba@iaba.org
INTER-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE:
At its meeting in
San José, Costa Rica, on April 4, 2009, the Executive Committee of the
Inter-American Bar Association (IABA) was made aware of an ongoing
custody dispute involving a Brazilian attorney, João Paulo Lins e Silva,
a member of the IABA, and a
After due
deliberation the Executive Committee made public its position on the
matter, which was to reaffirm its respect for the Rule of Law and the
sovereignty of States and Courts as a fundamental principle of the IABA
since its founding in 1940.
The articulated
position of the Executive Committee generated significant controversy,
as well as communication campaigns by supporters of both sides of the
issue directed towards our organization.
On
The IABA believes Judge Pereira Pinto’s decision, issued less than 10
months from the date of filing the case, reaffirms the Court’s respect
for the due process of law. Although the case has not yet been finally
decided, and we have not taken a position as an organization on the
merits of the dispute, we confirm our great admiration and
respect for those who have had
the courage to speak out on this issue.
As an international organization the mission of which is to uphold the Rule of Law, we view it as our duty to provide a forum for discussion and debate on issues of current import and relevance to the practice of law.
The Inter-American Bar Association was founded on May 16, l940 by a group of distinguished lawyers and jurists representing forty-four professional organizations and seventeen nations of the western hemisphere. The Inter-American Bar Association provides a permanent forum for the exchange of professional views and information for lawyers to promote the Rule of Law, and to protect the democratic institutions in the Americas.
Approximately every 12 months the IABA holds an international conference in one of the countries of the Americas, during which time special seminars on legal topics are presented and IABA Committees and Sections meet. These meetings serve as a forum for the presentation of papers and the consideration of issues and resolutions related to them. They facilitate networking and discussion of current issues of interest to lawyers of the Americas, their respective governments, and various international organizations.
Jorge De Presno
President
Inter-American Bar Association
1211 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite #202
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 466-5944
Fax: (202) 466-5946
Web:
www.iaba.org
E-mail:
iaba@iaba.org
© Copyright 2008 Inter-American Bar Association. All rights reserved.
1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 202, Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 466-5944, Fax: (202) 466-5946, Email:
iaba@iaba.org