PRESS RELEASE – 16 October

LAW Launches Global Roster Lawyers and Investigators to Protect Aid Workers

Brussels (LAW) – At the first International Conference on the Protection of Humanitarian Aid Workers is ongoing in Brussels, hosted by the European Commission and The Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) is proud to launch a global roster of lawyers and investigators to strengthen justice accountability for attacks against aid workers.

The roster will provide rapid, specialised support for national justice institutions, aid workers and humanitarian organisations. Its members will assist domestic, regional and international investigations and prosecutions, help submit evidence to national, regional and international courts, investigative mechanisms and fact-finding missions.

The roster will also support open-source investigations and the preservation of critical evidence, including online posts, videos, incident reports, medical records, and information stored on mobile phones. Evidence will be secured and handled in line with recognised standards, including the Berkeley Protocol, to protect its integrity and potential use in future legal proceedings.

“At the heart of the initiative are aid workers, survivors and their families”, stressed Antonia Mulvey, LAW’s Executive Director, “Legal aid is as important as humanitarian aid. It is high time to translate declaration into action. Our roster will help ensure that those who have been suffered from violations receive the legal representation that they are entitled to, that interviews are conducted in a survivor centered manner, and that they are referred to appropriate services, including psychosocial support.”

This new network is a key part of LAW’s contribution to Protect Aid Workers programme and its commitment to ensuring that attacks against humanitarian personnel are documented, investigated and prosecuted, and that survivors and families are supported in their pursuit of justice, as an implementing partner of the Declaration for The Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

For more information, please contact: Lucien Christen, Global Communications Manager, [email protected], +41765343816