Center for Constitutional Rights

Center for Constitutional Rights
FoundedJuly 1966 by Arthur Kinoy, William Kunstler, Ben Smith and Morton Stavis
TypeNon-profit
Location
  • New York City, New York, US
ServicesAdvocacy, litigation, public education
Key people
  • Vincent Warren, Executive Director
  • Baher Azmy, Legal Director
  • Nadia Ben-Youssef, Advocacy Director
  • Sunyata Altenor, Communications Director[1]
WebsiteCCRJustice.org

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR; formerly Law Center for Constitutional Rights) is a progressive non-profit legal advocacy organization based in New York City, New York, in the United States. It was founded in 1966 by lawyers William Kunstler, Arthur Kinoy, Morty Stavis and Ben Smith, particularly to support activists in the implementation of civil rights legislation and to achieve social justice.[2][3]

CCR has focused on civil liberties and human rights litigation, and activism. Since winning the landmark case in the United States Supreme Court of Rasul v. Bush (2004), establishing the right of detainees at Guantanamo Bay detainment camp to challenge their status in US courts and gain legal representation,[4] it has provided legal assistance to people imprisoned there and gained release for many who were unlawfully held or proven not to be a risk to security.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "Staff". Ccrjustice.org. February 20, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  2. ^ Navasky, Victor S. (April 19, 1970). "Right On! With Lawyer William Kunstler". New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  3. ^ "Mission and Vision". Center for Constitutional Rights. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "What We Do". Center for Constitutional Rights. Retrieved September 8, 2024.