Disbarment proceedings against lawyer
Azerbaijan
Lawyer Muzaffar Bakhishov is facing disbarment in connection to critical statements he made about the functioning of the Azeri judiciary. This was reported by the International Commission of Jurists on their website.
According to the information received, the proceedings against Mr Bakhishov, following a recommendation for disbarment by the Plenum of the Bar Association, are related to critical statements he made in a media interview with the news website moderator.az on the functioning of the Azeri judiciary with regard to judicial review of detention. In the interview, he criticized the arrests of large number of persons by officers of the Ministry of National Security and the tendency of judges to approve orders of detention without proper scrutiny. He further raised concerns about lack of accountability of judges for failure to protect against arbitrary detention.
Lawyers, like any other individuals, have the right to freedom of expression. The UN Basic Principles on the role of lawyers state that: ‘Lawyers like other citizens are entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly. In particular, they shall have the right to take part in public discussion of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and the promotion and protection of human rights’.
Lawyers for Lawyers will continue to closely monitor the case.