The Legal Centre Lesvos is a civil non-profit organisation that started as a grassroots, self-organized group of volunteer lawyers who met in Lesvos following the EU-Turkey Deal in 2016. LCL continues to operate as a collectively structured organization, made up of lawyers, interpreters, and human rights defenders. We aim to decide and also carry responsibility collectively and through consensus. Additionally, there is no hierarchy of pay scale – lawyers, interpreters, etc. all have the same salary. The administration and management of the Legal Centre Lesvos, as well as the representation and funding of the organisation, belongs to the General Assembly, made up of its four unpaid Partners:
- Carlos Ernesto Orjuela (carlos@legalcentrelesvos.org),
- Norma Lea Jullien Cravotta (norma@legalcentrelesvos.org),
- Laila Hashmi (laila@legalcentrelesvos.org),
- Maya Zoe Alice Thomas Davis (maya@legalcentrelesvos.org),
- The General Representation of the Legal Centre is assigned by the Co-Partners to Maya Zoe Alice Thomas Davis.
Our Principles
The Legal Centre believes in solidarity, not charity. We are a legal and political project which aims to create meaningful change through advocacy, strategic litigation and engagement with the migrant and refugee movement.
With this in mind, the Legal Centre adopts the following principles which guide our work in Lesvos:
- Be in support of the right to peace and against the illegal interventions of the US and other NATO countries in Asia and Africa
- Defend the right to asylum and expand its definition to include at the very least the concepts of environmental and economic refugees
- Oppose the racist concept of Fortress Europe and the growing fascist movements which embrace it
- Oppose the EU Turkey deal and all deals which seek to send asylum applicants to third countries outside of the EU
- Support the securing of safe passage for asylum seekers wishing to travel to and within the EU to the Member State they consider appropriate
- Support the pro refugee movement and assist in its developing of a human rights and refugee oriented approach