International Association of Democratic Lawyers

The Association was founded in Paris in 1946 by leftist French lawyers with connections to the French resistance. Many of its founders served as prosecutors at the Nuremberg trials. Its first president was René Cassin, who was largely responsible for writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Central Intelligence Agency started funding the International Commission of Jurists to counter the IADL. From 1967 the IADL was one of the original NGOs accredited with Consultative II Status with ECOSOC and is represented at UNESCO and UNICEF. The Association is also a member of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO) of the United Nations. ==Headquarters==

Its international headquarters are located at Rue Brialmont 21, B-1210, Brussels, Belgium. Its international Secretariat is located at Ito Building, 2nd Floor, Yotsuya 1–2, Shinjuku-ku, 160–0004, Tokyo, Japan. ==Organization==

The IADL is organized on the basis of institutional member organizations, regional and affiliated sections, groups and individual membership, representing about 200,000 members in all. • Belgium – Progress Lawyers Network • Bulgaria – Union of Jurists in Bulgaria • France – Droit Solidarité • Italy – Giuristi Democratici • Belgium – Le Syndicat des Avocats pour la Démocratie (S.A D.) • France – Le Syndicat des Avocats de France (S.A.F.) • Germany – Der Republikanische Anwältinnen und Anwälteverein (RAV) • Italy – La Confederazione Nazionale Delle Associazioni Sindicali Forensi d 'Italia • Italy – L'Iniziativa Democratica Forense (I.D.F.) • Italy – Legal Team Italia ( L.T.I.) • Netherlands – De Vereniging Sociale Advokatuur Nederland (VSAN) • Spain – L 'Associació Catalana per a la Defensa dels Drets Humans (A.C.D.D.H) • Spain – La Asociación Libre de Abogados (ALA) • Spain – Euskal Herriko Abokatuen Elkartea (ESKUBIDEAK) ==Activities==

• IADL sent a team to investigate allegations of biological warfare in the Korean War in 1951, and published "Report on U.S. Crimes in Korea", alleging the United States has used biological weapons during Korean War. • In 2006, IADL claimed that the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti was manipulated by the United States, and called for the release of members of leftist party Fanmi Lavalas. • IADL filed an amicus curiae with the US Supreme Court in 2009 relating to the trial of five Cuban intelligence officers who were convicted in Miami of conspiracy to commit espionage and murder. The IADL stated that the large Cuban exile population in Miami "supports many political and paramilitary groups dedicated to the overthrow of the Castro government". As a result, the IADL believed that the defendants had not received "a fair trial by an impartial fact finder". • IADL made statement saying they oppose the use of military force against Syria and Iran in 2012. ==Economic and Social Council consultative status==

IADL applied for Category B consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council in 1954, 1955, 1957 and 1959, but the application was rejected. The application was accepted in 1967. The organizations are divided into three groups: those in Category A, which have a basic interest in most of the activities of the council; those in Category B, which have a special competence but are concerned with only a few of the council's activities; and those with a significant contribution to make to the council's work, which are placed on a Register for ad hoc consultations. At the end of 1967, there were 143 NGOs with Category B status. ==See also==