On the occasion of the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, Karinna Moskalenko, President of the International Association of Russian Lawyers, Chair of the UN Independent Expert Group on Belarus, joined colleagues at an online event dedicated to the day and took part in a panel discussion.
Keynote Address:
- Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
Panel discussion:
- Ilya Salei, Belarusian lawyer in exile, solicitor in the UK
- Vaida Rudenaite, Senior Legal Adviser, Ministry of Justice of Lithuania
- Helena Shinkarevich, Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers
- Baroness Helena Kennedy, Vice President, Director, IBAHRI
Closing remarks:
- Nils Muižnieks, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus.
Participants at the event expressed alarm at the unprecedented repression of lawyers in Belarus, where legal professionals face systematic threats, disbarment, imprisonment and exile simply for doing their duty to protect human rights and uphold the rule of law. The government uses the legal system to stifle dissent, targeting lawyers representing peaceful demonstrators, political opposition figures, and civil society. Since 2020, more than 140 lawyers have been disbarred, many imprisoned, and others forced to flee. Even in exile, lawyers face repression, while their families in Belarus are harassed and detained. The climate of fear has led to a drastic reduction in the number of lawyers, and currently one lawyer serves 5,700 residents, undermining access to justice and fair trial guarantees for all. Belarus must act immediately to restore the independence and security of its legal profession. Bar associations should be free from state interference, allowing lawyers to work without fear of reprisal. The international community should also support Belarusian lawyers in exile by ensuring that their skills and expertise are utilized in host countries. The free, independent legal profession is the foundation of justice, and we cannot stand by as it is systematically destroyed in Belarus.
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