In Asia, Africa and Latin America, ASF France develops project support programmes to help the juridical reconstruction in the ailing countries.

By contributing to the strengthening of the State of Law, their members fight for the recognition to the right of a justice without borders.

The association bases all its activities on the principle of presumption of innocence and of right for all to be defended by a free and independent lawyer.

ASF France is committed to:

• Fight against impunity
• Work in favour of due process
• Contribute to the Rule of Law’s strengthening

Charter Avocats Sans Frontières France

1. ASF France reunites, on the basis of common values, lawyers, jurists and other professionals determined to act in favour of the respect of and the development of fundamental rights.
   
2. ASF France acts to promote the right of due process and access for all to knowledge of and to the defence of their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights through the services of a free and independent lawyer, while dedicating particular attention to the rights and defence of groups and individuals most at risk.
   
3. ASF France strives to intervene anywhere a person is threatened in exercising his fundamental rights and who is unable to obtain the assistance a free and independent lawyer.
   
4. ASF France, bases its actions on the presumption of innocence, the right for all to a free and independent lawyer and the lawyer’s oath to provide legal defence with neither prejudice nor discrimination.
   
5. ASF France struggles for the recognition and respect of the lawyer’s role, in accordance with the Basic principles on the Role of Lawyers, adopted by the United Nations Assembly at the Havana Congress on September 7, 1990, which define their freedom, independence, ethical obligations and the security safeguards and means necessary for carrying out their functions.
   
6. ASF France participates, through its existence and its actions, in the defence of fundamental rights, in the establishment and reinforcement of the Rule of Law and in the fight against impunity.
   
7. ASF France does not take the place of local lawyers nor their organizations, with whom ASF France has no intention of competing, but intervenes alongside them and with their consent, when they are facing difficulties as a result of their professional activity. ASF France establishes and maintains relations of professional solidarity with them. As such, ASF France acts only when its action serves to reinforce local stakeholders’ skills and knowledge.
   
8. ASF France refrains from participating in any actions likely to compromise its independence, that of lawyers or its values and principles. As a result, the organization acts free from ties to any pre-existing political, religious or philosophical groups.
   
9. All those who act in the name of ASF France wholly subscribe to the principles declared above and respect them in both their actions and declarations.

HU JIA’S DEFENSE - CHINA

ASF France, already mobilized in this country, strengthened its actions there since December 2007. Besides the threatened, persecuted and detainee lawyers’ cases that ASF France is in charge of, an emergency mission has been launched again in China in support of Hu Jia’s defense.