Lawyer criminally prosecuted on improper grounds
Moldova
On 5 December 2014, Lawyers for Lawyers expressed its concern to the Moldovan authorities about lawyer Alexandru Bernaz. According to Lawyers for Lawyers’s information, Mr. Bernaz is subjected to improper interference by legal enforcement bodies due to his legitimate activities as a defense counsel. Last summer, Mr. Bernaz filed complaints against prosecutors of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Bernaz challenged the procedural decisions of the prosecution and of the criminal investigation officers of the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) in a criminal investigation against his client.
Shortly thereafter, the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office issued criminal charges against Mr. Bernaz in another criminal case in which he acted as defense counsel, accusing him of co-participation to the offense of which his client was accused.
According to Mr. Bernaz’s defence lawyers, these charges are fabricated and constitute an act of retaliation for his work as a defense lawyer.
Lawyers for Lawyers called on the Moldovan authorities to conduct a prompt, thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the charges against Mr. Alexandru Bernaz, and to comply with international standards on the independence of lawyers.