Belarusian HR defenders submit additional data on harassment of advocates to UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers

Belarusian human rights defenders have submitted additional information on harassment of lawyers to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Ms. Gabriela Knaul.

The information deals with the recent order by the Ministry of Justice, that dismissed Aliaksandr Pylchanka, head of Minsk city bar association, from his post on the Qualification Commission on Advocates’ Activity. “We have very reason to believe that Aliaksandr Pylchanka’s dismissal from the Qualification Commission was caused by his commentary on the revocation of licenses of advocates Mr. Toustsik, Mrs. Harayeva, Mr. Aheyeu and Mrs. Aheyeva”, say Belarusian human rights defenders.

In his interview with the BelaPAN news agency, Mr. Pylchanka said that “Belarus now witnesses a situation posing a real threat to the independence of advocates, since no reports on the professional activities of the four above-mentioned advocates have been submitted to the Association and no disciplinary proceedings against them have been initiated.”