Lawyers for Lawyers Raises Concerns About the Disbarment of Lawyer Aleksey Ladin

Russian Federation

Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) has issued a letter to the President and members of the Council of the Russian Federal Bar Association (RFBA) to express our grave concern over the recent disbarment of lawyer Aleksey Ladin by the Tyumen Regional Bar Association on 25 July 2024. This decision, made ahead of Mr. Ladin’s appeal hearing on 9 December 2024, raises serious questions about the independence of the legal profession and the protection of human rights in the Russian Federation. 

In this letter, we highlight our concerns that Mr. Ladin’s disbarment follows politically motivated disciplinary proceedings, initiated after administrative charges were brought against him for exercising his right to freedom of expression. These proceedings not only interfere with Mr. Ladin’s ability to perform his professional duties but also deprive his clients of their fundamental right to legal representation.

We reminded the RFBA of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, notably Principles 16, 18 and 23, which guarantee lawyers the freedom to perform their professional functions without intimidation or interference. The disbarment of Mr. Ladin, a lawyer known for representing vulnerable groups and cases against the State, undermines these principles and risks having a chilling effect on other lawyers advocating for justice and human rights in the Russian Federation and Russian-occupied territories.

In our letter, we urged the Russian Federal Bar Association to:
– Revoke the disbarment of Aleksey Ladin, ensuring compliance with international standards;
– Protect all lawyers in the Russian Federation and Russian-occupied territories from undue interference, including politically motivated disciplinary actions;
– Publicly condemn the prosecution and harassment of lawyers for their clients’ activities or political reasons.

L4L remains committed to advocating for the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law and will continue to follow developments in this case.

Read the full letter here.