Haydée Dijkstal

Haydee Dijkstal Re-Elected to the BHRC Executive Committee for the 2026-2027 term We are pleased to share that Haydée Dijkstal <https://www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/people/dijkstal-haydee?preview_mode=1#content/introduction> has been re-elected

Haydée Dijkstal has been re-elected to the BHRC Executive Committee. The Committee is dedicated to defending the rule of #law and upholding internationally recognised legal standards regarding #humanrights and the right to a #fairtrial.

@dijkstal.bsky.social

www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/insights/new...

International Human Rights Day 2025: Upholding Our Everyday Essentials at 33 Bedford Row The 10th December has been internationally recognised as Human Rights Day <https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day> since 1950, marking the

#HumanRightsDay - Our barristers continue to work at the forefront of international justice, ensuring that essential rights are protected. Today, we highlight their recent, critical work!

@dijkstal.bsky.social @drschelvan.bsky.social

www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/insights/new...

Prisoner951 is important & timely! Grateful that, w/ its release, @anooshehashoori.bsky.social & @amnestyuk.bsky.social raise the struggle of other #British citizens detained abroad and their families~incl bank analyst+father of 4, Ahmed Al-Doush, detained for exercising his right to #freeexpression

Haydee Dijkstal secures UN finding of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance for Rohingya community leader detained in Bangladesh During its 103rd Session in August 2025, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention considered the detention of Mr Dil Mohammed, a refugee from Myanmar who

Haydee Dijkstal secures UN finding of #arbitrary detention & #enforceddisappearance against #Bangladesh for ongoing detention of Mr Dil Mohammed, a #refugee from Myanmar and prominent #Rohingya community leader to the refugee encampment in ‘No Mans Land'

www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/insights/new...

This weekend I hoped to raise a bit of awareness while at the Battersea Park Half Marathon to the wrongful #detention in #Iran of #British citizens Lindsay & Craig Foreman and the work to get them home.

Please take a moment to visit this page and support if you can: freelindsayandcraig.com

33 Bedford Row Members Ranked in Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2026 Chambers is pleased to announce the list of our barristers who have been ranked in the Chambers UK Bar 2026

We are delighted to #celebrate the 33 Bedford Row #barristers recognised in the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Guide 2026 rankings.

Huge congratulations to our ranked members:

Dr S Chelvan, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, Haydée Dijkstal, Tope Adeyemi, Zahra Ahmed

www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/insights/new...

People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan on X: "ENG: https://t.co/9oiBG71iMb DARI https://t.co/dRuOTlqZPD PASHTO https://t.co/kWrotNnXgW https://t.co/ETw1jfOCgf" / X ENG: https://t.co/9oiBG71iMb DARI https://t.co/dRuOTlqZPD PASHTO https://t.co/kWrotNnXgW https://t.co/ETw1jfOCgf

The People’s Tribunal for #Women in #Afghanistan (on X @AfgPpt) has started in Madrid and is addressing evidence of gender based #persecution from 8-10 Oct. Follow the civil society led tribunal, with @ahrdo.bsky.social @rawadari.bsky.social HRDPlusNetwork & DROPS, here ⬇️ x.com/afgppt/statu...

The Strategic Litigation Project is honored to welcome Ambassador Beth Van Schaack, who served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice from March 2022 to January 2025, as a Distinguished Fellow.

Read her bio below ⬇️

Families of UK prisoners abroad urge ministers to keep promises to help David Lammy said he hopes to appoint special envoy for British nationals detained overseas Families and lawyers of prominent British prisoners detained abroad have called for the government to deliver on promises to help secure their release and appoint a special envoy. Last week, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said he hoped to appoint a special envoy for British nationals arbitrarily detained overseas by the end of the year, after vowing to do so in November 2024 and as part of a Labour manifesto pledge. Continue reading...

Families of UK prisoners abroad urge ministers to keep promises to help

She went on to serve over 20 yrs in the US armed forces, rising to the rank of Colonel in the Air Force and Captain in the Navy (the 1st Hispanic female to reach the rank), and becoming Chief of Orthopedics at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Her unshakable spirit will be deeply missed.

For example, in 1957, she represented the Puerto Rican health department in Helsinki for AISS’s congress on health as a human right. And in 1967, she volunteered in a civilian hospital in Vietnam in opposition to the war, leaving only upon evacuation due to the Tet Offensive.

Born and raised in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, she attended medical school and became an orthopedic surgeon at a time when this path for women was unheard of. As a doctor, her career was marked by service in various forms.

I post mostly about work here, so it feels right to honour the extraordinary life and career of my grandmother ~ Dr Haydée Javier Kimmich ~ who we lost this week. She was a force; embodying a fierce spirit of independence, purpose and service which was impossible not to inspire.

Very sad to see this news. Courtenay gave me my first job in ICL years ago on the Taylor trial, and made a big impression as I was starting my career - as I know he did for so many. He will be missed.

Yesterday the APPG on Arbitrary Detention held a hearing on British national, Ahmed Al-Doush, whose arb detention in Saudi Arabia~now 10 yr sentence~is based on free expression/assoc. Very glad to provide info w/ @reprievehq.bsky.social & @amnestyuk.bsky.social www.hostagesappg.co.uk/post/press-b...

Ahmed has been sentenced to 10 yrs for an alleged tweet. The exact tweet is unknown. His trial and detention involved fair trial & due process violations.
The UK Gov must demand answers and stand firmly against a British national’s imprisonment for allegedly exercising his right to free expression.

Detained for nearly 9 months, British national, Ahmed Al-Doush, being tried on charges allegedly based on a tweet. His case raises serious concerns about his right to free expression and association, and basic due process and fair trial principles under international law.

Our client Robert Pether has been arbitrarily detained in Iraq since 2021. This is a welcomed statement by @simonharrisireland.bsky.social. #FreeRobertPether @dijkstal.bsky.social

A little delegation from @33bedfordrow.bsky.social International attending this year’s International Bar Association War Crimes Committee conference in The Hague. Lovely to catch up with colleagues and friends along with @mhproulx.bsky.social and Aqsa Hussain.
#IBAWCC #33BRIntl

Delighted to have Marie-Hélène and Michael as colleagues at Chambers! They bring extensive experience practicing before intl criminal tribunals in The Hague and beyond, and impressive expertise and knowledge of intl law. Looking forward to the collaborating, supporting and learning from each other!

Saudi teacher released after arbitrary detention for tweets: Haydee Dijkstal acted as international counsel On 13 February 2025, Saudi teacher, Asaad Al Ghamdi, was released from detention in Saudi Arabia after nearly 2 years and 3 months of detention based on the

Haydee Dijkstal @dijkstal.bsky.social acts as international counsel for Saudi teacher released from #detention in Saudi Arabia after nearly 2 years and 3 months of detention based on the exercise of #FreeExpression on social media.

www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/insights/new...

Saudi Arabia: Revoke death penalty for social media activity, UN experts urge GENEVA (15 September 2023) – Saudi Arabia must immediately revoke the death sentence handed down to Mohammed Al Ghamdi for his tweets and YouTube activities, as the crackdown on freedom of expression ...

Nor should it lessen attention to the case of his brother, Muhammad Al Ghamdi, who was initially sentenced to death for the same - for tweeting & exercising his right to free expression - and who remains in (what the #WGAD found to be) arbitrary detention.
www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

Fresh scrutiny of free speech in Saudi Arabia after brothers’ convictions over tweets Crown prince criticised ‘bad laws’ for Mohammed al-Ghamdi’s death sentence months before second conviction

While his release comes with great relief, it does not remedy the harm suffered in detention for exercising his right to free expression.
www.theguardian.com/world/articl...

After More Than Two Years of Detention, Saudi Arabia Releases Teacher Asaad Al-Ghamdi - Sanad Organization The Saudi authorities have released Asaad bin Nasser Al-Ghamdi, the brother of London-based Saudi dissident Dr. Saeed Al-Ghamdi, after more than two years of

Today, my client, Asaad Al Ghamdi - a Saudi teacher sentenced to 15 yrs imprisonment for posts on social media - was released after 2+ yrs of arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia.

I'm thrilled he is reunited with his family!

sanad.uk/2025/02/13/a...

The Association of Young International Criminal Lawyers is delighted to invite you to a conversation with
@dijkstal.bsky.social (33 Bedford Row Chamber) on her outstanding career as a barrister in ICL & IHRL:

February 12, 2025 at 16:00 CET
Click here to register: shorturl.at/QjKl9

Foreign Office refused to give us details about Briton jailed in Saudi, family say Ahmed al-Doush has been held for more than four months without charge and has been given no reason for his arrest

The case of a British man detained in #SaudiArabia without charge since late August 2024, causing him to miss his child's birth, has been raised before the #UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention by his legal team at 33BR - Haydee Dijkstal leading Simon Ridding.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

YouTube video by Middle East Eye What happened to Abdul Rahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi? Lawyer discusses suspected UAE extradition

The violation of Abdul Rahman’s rights indicate his detention in the UAE is arbitrary under intl law and therefore unsustainable. His risk of torture & enforced disappearance must be closely monitored and prevented. His rights must be respected & his safety ensured.
youtu.be/AQM0oz0T5fk?...

Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi believed to have been extradited to UAE Before he was taken to airport, son of Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi told family he had launched a hunger strike

Despite all this, and many other efforts, Lebanon still sent Abdul Rahman to the UAE, & before an appeal filed by his Lebanese lawyer could be considered. It puts Lebanon squarely in violation of its obligations under intl law & undermines the rule of law.
www.middleeasteye.net/news/egyptia...

Call for the immediate release of poet Abdel Rahman Youssef | MENA Rights Group MENA Rights Group joins 500+ signatories in urging Lebanese authorities to immediately release poet Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi and to not extradite him to Egypt, where he risks human rights abus...

A letter w/ 500+ signatories condemned steps to extradite, saying such “action represents a grave and alarming example of transnational repression, a systematic practice used to silence dissenting voices and human rights defenders beyond national borders.”
menarights.org/en/articles/...

Arrest and Risk of Forced Extradition of Poet Abdulrahman Al-Qaradawi - Cedar Centre For Legal Studies Case Title Arrest and Risk of Forced Extradition of Poet Abdulrahman Al-Qaradawi 04/01/2025 Published: 04 January 2025Updated: 09 January 2025 Introduction:On 28 December 2024, poet Mr. ABDURRAHMAN KA...

Lebanese civil society played a pivotal role. For example, the Cesar Centre of Legal Studies which highlighted the “politically motivated” underlying bases of Egypt and the UAE’s extradition requests & intl and Lebanese protections which should have been applied.
ccls-lebanon.org/arrest-and-r...