UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TO RECEIVE INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE IN WORLD AWARD

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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