Alliance Defense Fund Legal Counsel urges the Ministry of Justice and the Belarus Republican Bar Association "to vacate their current punitive actions towards lawyers"

Ministry of Justice

10 Kollektornaya str.

220004 Minsk, BELARUS

 

Dear Minister Golovanov:

 

I write this letter as legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal alliance of more than 1700 lawyers dedicated to the protection of religious freedom internationally. The Alliance Defense Fund is accredited with the United Nations, European Parliament, Fundamental Rights Agency and Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe.

 

I am greatly concerned with the existing treatment of lawyers who are currently defending individuals, particularly from opposition parties, who were imprisoned as a result of post-election peaceful demonstrations. Specifically I write with regards to advocates Mr. Sapelka, Mr. Tolstik, Mrs. Semashka, and Mrs. Sidarenka.

 

For rule of law to exist, the state must be neutral in its exercise of supervisory authority over lawyers. The actions that the Ministry of Justice and Bar Association of the Belarusian Republic have undertaken towards these four lawyers have impaired their abilities to fairly and properly represent their clients. Belarus’ international obligations both as a Participating Member of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe and its legal obligations under the ICCPR and other United Nations treaties to which it is party, dictate that such retaliatory measures as punishing advocates merely for representing imprisoned political opposition leaders cannot be tolerated.

 

The Alliance Defense Fund is particularly alarmed that candidates representing political positions strongly advocating religious freedom have also been targeted and imprisoned and their lawyers subjected to harassment.

 

I therefore urge the Ministry of Justice to vacate its current punitive actions towards these lawyers and to provide an environment to them conducive to the promotion of justice and the rule of law.

 

Respectfully,

 

 

________________________                                                           ______________________

Roger Kiska                                                                                        Date

Legal Counsel

Alliance Defense Fund

Bratislava, Slovak Republic

 

 

The Belarus Republican Bar Association

Kollektornaia Str., 10

220048, Minsk, BELARUS

 

Dear  Mrs. Natalia Andreychik:

 

I write this letter as legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal alliance of more than 1700 lawyers dedicated to the protection of religious freedom internationally. The Alliance Defense Fund is accredited with the United Nations, European Parliament, Fundamental Rights Agency and Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe.

 

I am greatly concerned with the existing treatment of lawyers who are currently defending individuals, particularly from opposition parties, who were imprisoned as a result of post-election peaceful demonstrations. Specifically I write with regards to advocates Mr. Sapelka, Mr. Tolstik, Mrs. Semashka, and Mrs. Sidarenka.

 

For rule of law to exist, the state must be neutral in its exercise of supervisory authority over lawyers. The actions that the Ministry of Justice and Bar Association of the Belarusian Republic have undertaken towards these four lawyers have impaired their abilities to fairly and properly represent their clients. Belarus’ international obligations both as a Participating Member of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe and its legal obligations under the ICCPR and other United Nations treaties to which it is party, dictate that such retaliatory measures as punishing advocates merely for representing imprisoned political opposition leaders cannot be tolerated.

 

The Alliance Defense Fund is particularly alarmed that candidates representing political positions strongly advocating religious freedom have also been targeted and imprisoned and their lawyers subjected to harassment.

 

I therefore urge the Bar Association of the Belarusian Republic to vacate its current punitive actions towards these lawyers and to provide an environment to them conducive to the promotion of justice and the rule of law.

 

Respectfully,

 

 

________________________                                                           ______________________

Roger Kiska                                                                                        Date

Legal Counsel

Alliance Defense Fund

Bratislava, Slovak Republic