Aizhan Tilenbaeva LL.M. ’22, a human rights lawyer from Kyrgyzstan, has been selected as a 2025 International Legal Studies Postgraduate Fellow and will clerk at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.
In her new role, Aizhan will join the research division of the Directorate of the Jurisconsult, which is responsible for maintaining the quality and consistency of the Court’s jurisprudence. Aizhan will conduct in-depth international and comparative legal research and case law analysis in order to advance the Court’s mission of fostering dialogue with national courts and safeguarding human rights throughout Europe.
This position will build on Aizhan’s extensive experience in the field. She previously worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kyrgyzstan, assisting national authorities in strengthening their implementation of international humanitarian law. In Germany, at the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law, she promoted human rights-based policies regarding the prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of foreign fighters in Central Asia. And with Global Rights Compliance in Ukraine, she was involved in supporting justice initiatives in the context of the ongoing conflict.
Aizhan holds a bachelor’s degree in international and business law from the American University of Central Asia and a Master of Arts in human rights from the School of Advanced Study, University of London. She earned her LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 2022, where her academic and clinical work addressed the intersection of law, human rights, and emerging global challenges. During her time at HLS, she contributed as a research assistant to the Program on International Law and Armed Conflict, focusing on the UN Security Council’s environmental practice. She also served as a submissions editor for the Harvard Human Rights Journal and collaborated with the Cyberlaw Clinic at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. With a deep commitment to justice, accountability, and the protection of human dignity in armed conflict and post-conflict settings, Aizhan brings a rich and diverse background to her work.
Reflecting on the opportunity at the European Court of Human Rights, Aizhan stated, “I view the Court’s role as uniquely important: it stands as a principled and independent forum that interprets and applies fundamental rights consistently across Europe. Contributing to this mission, through comparative and case-law research that ensures coherence in the Court’s jurisprudence, will be a natural continuation of my path. At the same time, I hope to learn how one of the world’s most influential human rights courts navigates the tension between principle and politics, and how it safeguards rights in practice.”
The International Legal Studies Postgraduate Fellowships support Harvard Law School students and recent graduates undertaking clerkships or internships at international or regional courts or tribunals. For more information, please visit the International Legal Studies Post-Graduate Fellowships webpage.