03 October 2024, NEW YORK - The Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute (HRI) and the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) are ecstatic to introduce Marian Da Silva as the new Legal Fellow of the TrialWatch Project at Columbia Law School. With over 5 years of experience representing more than 50 victims before international bodies like the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court, Da Silva brings with her great passion for promoting justice worldwide.
“Having witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of arbitrary detentions, censorship, and injustice in my home country, I know that the rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression are not just legal principles – they are a lifeline,” said Da Silva. “I am eager to work alongside the incredible team at HRI and the Clooney Foundation for Justice, as well as students and global partners, to shed light on injustices that are too often overlooked and to push for accountability and human dignity in every trial we monitor.”
Da Silva’s dedication to the field is exemplary as she has trained over 200 human rights defenders globally, helping them navigate international mechanisms to advocate for fair trials in their respective regions. Her human rights work spans across Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Cuba, and beyond, addressing injustices against marginalized groups and advocating for accountability in conflict zones such as Syria and Ukraine.
She is also the co-author of Pathway to Freedom: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, highlighting her expertise in advocating for political prisoners and fair trial rights. Her work continues to focus on addressing the legal and human rights challenges faced by unjustly detained individuals.
The faculty and staff of the Human Rights Institute warmly welcome Da Silva to her new position. Director of TrialWatch, Tejal Jesrani shared that: “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Marian to the team. Her rich and deep experience defending victims of arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial executions and torture before regional and international bodies will immensely facilitate TrialWatch’s work in advocating for those most vulnerable to the victimization of their criminal legal systems.”
TrialWatch is a Clooney Foundation for Justice initiative that monitors criminal trials against the most vulnerable, provides free legal support to get innocent people out of prison, and advocates for the reform of unfair laws. TrialWatch has monitored trials in over 40 countries and is building a Global Justice Index that will be the first to evaluate and rank countries on their justice systems through real-world data. Columbia Law School has been a critical partner since TrialWatch’s launch at the law school in 2019.
Through monitoring, evidence-based reporting, thematic analysis of cutting-edge issues, partnerships with law schools around the world, and advocacy, Da Silva, working in close collaboration with the Clooney Foundation for Justice and a broad spectrum of legal experts, human rights advocates, and communities worldwide, will seek to deepen and strengthen TrialWatch's work to wage justice to create a world where human rights are protected and no one is above the law.
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The Human Rights Institute advances international human rights through education, advocacy, fact-finding, research, scholarship, and critical reflection. We work in partnership with advocates, communities, and organizations pushing for social change to develop and strengthen the human rights legal framework and mechanisms, promote justice and accountability for human rights violations, and build and amplify collective power.
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