A delegation from the World Jurist Association (WJA) and the World Law Foundation (WLF), led by their president, Javier Cremades, took part in the World Liberty Congress in Berlin on November 12. Their participation further strengthens the organization’s role as an international benchmark in promoting freedom, justice, and human rights. The event brought together activists, legal experts, and democracy advocates from more than 60 countries with a shared goal: to reinforce global cooperation around the rule of law as the foundation of human dignity and freedom.
The World Jurist Association, an organization with more than six decades of history, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting those who promote justice and stand up to authoritarian regimes. In a context where 73% of the global population lives under dictatorships, the association works to create spaces for dialogue and international action aimed at safeguarding fundamental rights.
During his speech, Javier Cremades highlighted the strength of the gathering, noting that “half of the participants are women, and many have been forced to flee their countries for exercising their right to freedom.” He also emphasized the symbolic presence of empty chairs representing detained leaders, as well as the scar left by the Berlin Wall—powerful reminders of the historic struggle against oppression.
The president of the World Jurist Association underscored the organization’s ongoing mission: defending the rule of law as an essential guarantee of freedom and justice. “Autocracies are penetrating democracies, but there is also an army of people who infiltrate autocracies in favor of freedom, human dignity, and fundamental rights,” he stated. He also stressed that the rule of law is the foundation regulating the relationship between individuals and power, and that power can only be legitimate if exercised under a constitution based on respect for the person—an anthropocentric constitution.
The participation of the World Jurist Association in events of this nature reinforces its leadership in defending the rule of law and international cooperation. Its work continues to position the organization as a global benchmark for the protection of human rights and the promotion of freedom in all its dimensions. “The rule of law is the only place where human dignity can flourish, and I hope that in the future we can all be protected by this principle, which grants us the freedom our dignity demands,” Cremades concluded.
Another Step Toward the Global Defense of Freedom
The World Liberty Congress followed the forum “Voices of Freedom Against Autocracies,” held on November 6 in Madrid in collaboration with the World Jurist Foundation. The meeting served as a prelude to the debates in Berlin and featured the participation of WLC co-founders Masih Alinejad, an Iranian activist, and Leopoldo López, a Venezuelan opposition leader. Both emphasized that the defense of democracy can no longer be confined to national contexts. In Alinejad’s words, “The fight for freedom does not belong to one single country; it is a shared cause that unites people around the world.”
The forum brought together activists from different continents and highlighted the need for solidarity among democracies and civic movements. It also emphasized the crucial role of women and young activists in democratic change, as well as the importance of strengthening the tools of the rule of law, press freedom, and an independent civil society.
