The European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA) has awarded its 2025 Scott Crosby Human Rights Award to Ali Yildiz, founder and director of the Arrested Lawyers Initiative, during the ECBA Spring Conference held in Barcelona from 24 to 26 April 2026.
The award was presented by the ECBA’s Human Rights Officer, the distinguished Greek criminal lawyer Alexis Anagnostakis, who emphasized the significance of Yıldız’s work in defending lawyers subjected to persecution.
In his remarks, Anagnostakis explained that Ali Yıldız founded the Arrested Lawyers Initiative in 2016 while in Europe, with the goal of protecting fellow lawyers in Turkey who were facing threats, arrests, and criminal prosecution. He noted that Yıldız is a member of both the Ankara Bar Association and the Brussels Bar Association.
Reflecting on their personal connection, Anagnostakis said that over time their professional relationship developed into a close bond, adding that he now considers Yıldız a brother.
Anagnostakis also underlined the alarming findings revealed through the work of the Arrested Lawyers Initiative. According to the organization’s documentation, lawyers have been arrested or convicted in 77 of Turkey’s 81 provinces. The data collected by the Initiative shows that 553 lawyers have been sentenced to a total of 3,380 years of imprisonment, more than 1,700 lawyers have faced criminal prosecution, and around 700 have been held in pre-trial detention.
Through the Arrested Lawyers Initiative, Yıldız has led an international advocacy campaign aimed at ensuring that lawyers and human rights defenders can perform their professional duties without intimidation, harassment, or judicial persecution.
The Initiative works closely with international legal institutions, including the International Bar Association, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), and the Law Society of England and Wales, as well as numerous European bar associations. Its documentation and findings have also been cited in reports issued by the United Nations and the United States Department of State.
The Scott Crosby Human Rights Award, named in honour of Scott Crosby, commemorates a respected British criminal defence lawyer and ECBA member known for his dedication to human rights and the protection of defence lawyers worldwide. The award is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the defence of human rights and the independence of the legal profession.
In explaining this year’s decision, Anagnostakis said that the ECBA had chosen to honour “a person who defends the defenders.”
Speaking during the ceremony, Ali Yıldız said:
“Our profession is under attack around the world — there is no exception. Let’s stick together and defend this profession.”
The European Criminal Bar Association, founded in 1997, is an independent organization of specialist criminal defence lawyers from across Europe dedicated to protecting fundamental rights in criminal proceedings and safeguarding the independence of the legal profession.
Categories: International Advocacy