International Association of Democratic Lawyers IADL

a progressive democratic organization of lawyers founded in 1946 on the initiative of French lawyers who had belonged to the Resistance Movement. In accordance with its charter, adopted at the Second Congress in 1947 and amended in 1956, the IADL facilitates contact and the exchange of ideas among lawyers of all countries and encourages their joint work for peace and cooperation between peoples, in defense of democratic rights and freedoms, and for strengthening the independence of all nations. The IADL acts as an advisory body to the UN Economic and Social Council and UNESCO.

Membership is open to any national or international association of lawyers whose aims and activities do not oppose the goals of the IADL, as well as to any member of the legal profession. The lADL’s highest organ, the congress, is convened once every three years. The congress elects from among the representatives of national associations the council, which meets annually and has all the powers of the congress with the exception of the right to alter the charter. The council elects the bureau, which carries out the organization’s functions. The IADL strives to preserve and strengthen peace, consolidate the national independence of developing states, and completely eliminate the vestiges of colonialism. In the struggle for peace the IADL actively supports the efforts of the World Peace Council. The IADL has initiated and participated in numerous international conferences on such urgent contemporary issues as European security and the Middle East crisis.

As of June 1, 1973, more than 60 nations were represented in the IADL. Soviet jurists are active in the organization. The association of Soviet jurists is a member of the IADL and has representatives in the organization’s governing bodies.