[legal-professionals] UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers receives International Justice in World award

UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
23 May 2003

The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers of
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Dato' Param
Cumaraswamy, will be presented with the 2002 International Justice in
the World award on 5 June 2003 at a ceremony in Madrid, Spain.

The Special Rapporteur, from Malaysia, is the sixth recipient and the
first lawyer to receive this prestigious annual prize awarded to
honour individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the
rule of law in the world. Previous recipients were from Italy,
Israel, Germany, Spain and Canada and have all held or continue to
hold high level judicial positions in their respective countries.

On World Human Rights Day, 10 December 2002, the Special Rapporteur
was selected by the International Prize Jury of the Justice in the
World Foundation which is part of the International Association of
Judges for his dedication and commitment to support and safeguard the
independence and impartiality of the judiciary throughout the world.
In his capacity as Special Rapporteur, Mr. Cumaraswamy has worked
over the past nine years to promote the rights and responsibilities
of judges and lawyers as they are the front line defenders of the
rule of law, an essential element of any fully democratic nation.

The ceremony will be officiated by the Honourable Minister of Justice
of Spain in the presence of the Presidents of the Supreme Court and
the Constitutional Court, the Mayor of Madrid, jurists from the
International Association of Judges, members of the Justice of the
World Foundation and invited guests.

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