Day of the Lawyer in Belarus
4 december 2022

Day of the Lawyer in Belarus

Belarus

4 December marks Lawyers’ Day in Belarus, a professional holiday. Nevertheless, Lawyers for Lawyers continues to be concerned about the situation of Lawyers in Belarus. The Belarusian lawyers are subject to harassment, intimidation as well as improper interference while they are performing their professional duties. Additionally, the independence of the legal profession in Belarus is threatened.

Since the 2020 elections, Belarusian lawyers have been persecuted through different means such as disbarment, detention, prosecution or even being listed as terrorist. This creates a chilling effect on other legal professionals, restricting human rights defenders’ and political opponents’ right to access independent, effective legal representation. In connection to this violation, Lawyers for Lawyers and other organizations released oral statements to the Human Rights Council on Belarus in June, September and October.

Lawyers for Lawyers continues to closely monitor the situation in Belarus and urges the government of Belarus to take immediate action in order to guarantee the full independence and safety of lawyers and to release all lawyers who have been unduly detained. Furthermore, Lawyers for Lawyers calls upon the relevant authorities to safeguard the independence of the Bar Association and legal profession.

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26 juni 2024

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture: public letter to the Belarusian authorities on the continued incommunicado detention of Maksim Znak

Belarus

On 26 June, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Lawyers for Lawyers expresses concern over the continued incommunicado detention of lawyer Maksim Znak. According to information received, Mr Znak has now been refused access to his family

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16 april 2024

‘Flight to Lithuania’ — interview with Natalia Matskevich and Paulius Griciunas

Belarus

A new law has been passed in Lithuania which allows lawyers from outside the European Union to register as third-party lawyers in Lithuania. This legislative advance is of great symbolic importance according to Belarusian lawyer Natalia Matskevich. By Trudeke Sillevis

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21 maart 2024

Joint oral statement to Human Rights Council on Belarus

Belarus

On 19 March 2024, Lawyers for Lawyers, the Law Society of England and Wales, and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute delivered an oral statement during the interactive dialogue on the interim oral update of the High Commissioner on the situation of

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7 februari 2024

Report on Belarus: The Crisis of the Legal Profession Continued Repressions 2022 – 2023

Belarus

In cooperation with the American Bar Association (ABA) and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), the Center for Constitutionalism and Human Rights, Right to Defense, and Lawyers for Lawyers have prepared this report to summarize the ongoing worrying

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