The Center for Constitutionalism and Human Rights is pleased to announce the publication of its latest report “The Crisis of the Legal Profession in Belarus: How to Return the Right to Defense”. This report is a comprehensive collection of examples showcasing both the violations of the fundamental right to defense as well as the selfless acts of Belarusian lawyers. Additionally, the report highlights instances of violations of lawyers’ rights by the Republican Bar Association.
The report draws attention to itself by the fact that readers will find in it not only facts that have become evidence of the courage of lawyers, but also examples of deviations from principles on the part of the bodies of bar associations. All these examples deserve to go down in history as pages of honor and as tragic pages. The report is also important because the authors recreate the essence of professional imperatives, thus fixing the “norm” of the profession and paving the way for future reforms.
Why this work is significant
- The report serves to restore the chronology of events that have led to the destruction of the institution of the bar in Belarus and exposes the systemic nature of this destruction.
- It also highlights the consequences of the disregard and violation of legal profession standards by the state and professional associations, and their direct impact on the fate of lawyers.
- The report contains a program of action designed to restore the institution of the legal profession and the legal environment in which lawyers can freely and effectively perform their duties.
What makes the report unique
- It is the first attempt at a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the situation in the Belarusian bar, based on first-hand information and numerous examples. These examples are evaluated through the prism of international legal standards.
- Additionally, the report contains expert conclusions regarding the identified systemic problems and necessary changes to positively impact the work of individual lawyers and the institution as a whole. It is clear that the current state of affairs in Belarus makes it difficult to find a lawyer to protect human rights.
- The final section of the report outlines a system of actions aimed at restoring the institution of the bar and the right to defense in Belarus.
The Center for Constitutionalism and Human Rights expresses its gratitude to the experts who conducted this study and contributed to the creation of a theoretical and practical foundation for the restoration of the Belarusian legal system based on the standards of the legal profession and guarantees for the realization of the right to defense.
Please find the report attached here.
Русскоязычная версия доступна здесь.