Intiqam Aliyev is a prominent lawyer with more than 15 years of experience. He is the president of the Legal Education Society (Baku, Azerbaijan) and has represented victims in proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights in more than 100 cases. Among his recent successes is the victory in Tebieti Mühafize Cemiyyeti and Israfilov v. Azerbaijan (application no. 37083/03, judgment of 8 October 2009), concerning unlawful dissolution of environmental association. Aliyev is also an expert in law and human rights issues for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe.

In early 2008, the Legal Education Society, an NGO led by I. Aliyev, published a report named "Disciplinary Liability of Judges". The report examined 60 decisions of the Judicial Legal Council on disciplinary liability against judges as well as other decisions. All the information included in the report was taken from the website of the Judicial Legal Council, something that Aliyev made very clear in the court hearings. Nevertheless, the court decided that Aliyev has to publish apologies and pay a high compensation. He has appealed against the judgment to the European Court of Human Rights.

In its recommendation for the Lawyers for Lawyers Award, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights pointed at Aliyev’s inflexible attitude to defend human rights, his great authority as an expert and outstanding courage. The HFHR’s application letter was supported by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, which cooperates with Aliyev in implementation of different projects.

Lawyers for Lawyers has committed itself to enable lawyers to practice law in freedom and independence, always and everywhere, even when that does not suit the local government, bar association or establishment. The Award will be presented for the first time in Amsterdam on 15 April 2011. The jury of the award consists of amongst others Theo van Boven, the Special Rapporteur on Torture from 2001 to 2004 and Egbert Myjer, judge of the European Court of Human Rights.

Information on Lawyers for Lawyers and the award may be found at http://www.advocatenvooradvocaten.nl/cms/content/view/29/31