Four lawyers disbarred after defending suspects in politically motivated cases

September 7, BPN. The Belarusian Bar Association’s Qualification Commission ruled that lawyers Hienadź Ułasenka, Pavieł Kułažanka, Hanna Paŭluk, and Taćciana Saŭčanka are unfit “to perform their professional duties due to insufficient qualification,” the justice ministry has announced.

All four were investigated for “inadequate performance of professional duties.” According to the justice ministry, “some lawyers demonstrated an unsatisfactory level of knowledge of the legislation.”

According to the Viasna Human Rights Center, all four lawyers had previously defended people accused in politically-motivated cases. Paŭluk has a work experience of over 10 years, while Saŭčanka worked as a lawyer for 36 years.

On August 4, the Minsk City Bar Association disbarred its four members, including Vital Brahiniec, currently in custody on politically-motivated charges, as well as Siarhiej Afonski, Larysa Atamančuk, and Iłona Załuckaja.

A total of over 50 lawyers lost their licenses for allegedly violating the law in Belarus since August 2020.

Earlier, Alaksandr Łukašenka said that defense lawyers should be “under control” and should not follow “some invented norms like freedom of speech or other freedoms.”