Lawyers banned from giving interviews without permission

• 31.01.2012, 12:05

The Minsk City Bar and regional bar associations have received an appropriate letter.

“Nasha Niva” newspaper gets a copy of the letter signed by chairman of the Republican Bar Association Chaichyts. Lawyers are advised to agree with the bar association chair upon giving an interview. Deputy chairs are obliged to analyze interviews in the media and sent them to the Republic Bar Association.

This measure is connected with bringing lawyers to criminal responsibility and “the increased cases of publishing biased interviews of certain lawyers in the media, especially in the electronic media”.

Last years, the presidiums of the Minsk City Bar and regional bar associations were proposed to allow lawyers to visit trainings abroad only with consent of the presidium of the corresponding bar association. This is an attempt to control any activity of lawyers and intimidate them to prevent them from taking political cases. In 2011, a number of lawyers defending the persons in the December 19 case were disbarred.