Justice ministry moves to disbar persecuted lawyers

November 4, BPN. The Belarusian Bar Association has moved to disbar more lawyers who defended victims of politically-motivated persecution or face politically-motivated chares.

The association’s Qualification Commission has disbared Ludmila Asijeŭskaja, a defense lawyer with 30 years of professional experience, citing “insufficient qualification,” the justice ministry’s press office reported.

Lawyers Alena Hrybok, Siarhiej Kišanioŭ, and Dźmitryj Mironenka may also be disbarred over “insufficient qualifications.”

Uładzimir Anhielski, Viktoryja Hulkova, Alaksandr Jemialjanenka, Ataryj Žukaŭ, Michaił Makaraŭ, and Anastasija Sahanovič may lose their licenses to practice law for “committing offenses incompatible with the status of a lawyer.”

Anhielski worked as a defense attorney for his colleague Vital Brahiniec, who was jailed in September on politically-motivated charges.

Authorities sentenced Hulkova to 15 days in jail but have not released her from custody after she served the term. Police also arrested Makaraŭ, her husband and a lawyer himself, accusing him, together with Sahanovič, of leaking data of a closed court hearing.

Systematic pressure on lawyers in Belarus started after the 2020 presidential election. Authorities took control of the bar, while dozens of lawyers lost their licenses for political reasons.