WOLAS TALKS: International Law Practice Series
About WOLAS TALKS
The WOLAS Talks International Law Practice Series is a conversation series that brings together leading global figures in human rights law and advocacy with interested audiences in Türkiye. The program aims to go beyond the theoretical boundaries of legal education by connecting university students with international human rights advocacy experience. Each session is moderated by an experienced professional in the field. Previous guests in this series have included Alfredo Crosato Neumann, Ahmet Ulutaş, and Susan Akram. The final program of the 2026 Spring term features Surya Subedi as guest speaker.
About the Session
In the closing session of our 2026 Spring term, we are honored to welcome Prof. Dr. Surya P. Subedi, a scholar, lawyer, and diplomat in one, who served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia from 2009 to 2015.
Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Osman Karaoğlu of Yalova University Faculty of Law, the program will offer participants a first-hand account of his transformative work in international law. Subedi will share how he advanced democratic and judicial reforms during his UN Special Rapporteurship in Cambodia, as well as his role in the post-conflict peacebuilding process in Nepal following a decade of armed conflict. The conversation will focus on approaches that balance international investment law with human rights and environmental protection principles, and on reform proposals aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of UN human rights mechanisms.
For legal professionals, researchers working in the field, and international law volunteers, this session offers a critical perspective on how the “veil of sovereignty” can be lifted in favor of human rights, and on the paths to transforming from a “rule-taker” to a “rule-maker” on the global stage.
Speaker: Surya P. SUBEDI
Surya P. Subedi is a distinguished international jurist who has served as a scholar, lawyer, and diplomat. He has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) by the University of Oxford, the institution’s highest academic honor, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of international law and the advancement of human rights.
Currently a Professor of International Law at the University of Leeds, Subedi is also a senior barrister (KC) at the London Bar and a member of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Institut de Droit International. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II and designated as King’s Counsel in recognition of his services to international law. The author of more than eight books and over 60 academic articles, Subedi has, in addition to his UN roles, served as a human rights adviser to the UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for five years.
Moderator: Ali Osman Karaoğlu
Ali Osman Karaoğlu graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Law in 2008 and completed his master’s degree at SOAS University of London and his doctoral degree at Istanbul Sehir University. He has conducted academic research as a visiting scholar at the Max Planck Institute and Georgetown University. He currently serves as a faculty member in the Department of Public International Law at Yalova University Faculty of Law.
*The session will be conducted in English. Simultaneous interpretation into Turkish will be provided throughout the program.
Worldwide Lawyers Association (WOLAS) is a civil society organization founded in 2016 by lawyers and academics active in Türkiye, open to the participation of all individuals engaged in rights-based advocacy, with the purpose of pursuing legal advocacy at the international level.
Event Details: A Conversation with a UN Special Rapporteur: Pathways, Challenges, and Impact
Speaker: Surya Subedi
Moderator: Ali Osman Karaoğlu
Date: 15.06.2026
Time: 18:30
Venue: Neslişah Sultan Cultural Center, Conference Hall, Fatih / İstanbul
