{"id":201937,"date":"2026-08-31T23:50:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T20:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/201937\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T23:52:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T20:52:29","slug":"justice-ministry-disbars-tax-lawyer-spakouski","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/201937\/","title":{"rendered":"Justice ministry disbars tax lawyer \u0160pako\u016dski"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n Raman \u0160pako\u016dski\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (advokat.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 31, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The justice ministry\u2019s qualification commission has revoked the license of Raman \u0160pako\u016dski, an aspiring tax lawyer in Minsk, citing \u201cmisconduct incompatible with the title of a lawyer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The commission reported on Monday, without elaborating, that \u0160pako\u016dski had committed an act \u201cdiscrediting the legal profession.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0160pako\u016dski, who obtained his license in 2020, was known for representing clients in disputes with the State Control Committee\u2019s financial investigations department and the Committee for State Security (KGB). He runs a Telegram channel called Taxes, Business and Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll<\/em>, with the last post added on August 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry of justice routinely cites alleged offenses to strip unwanted lawyers of their licenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human rights defenders reported in December 2025 that at least 146 lawyers in Belarus have lost their licenses since the historic 2020 anti-\u0141uka\u0161enka protests, while dozens faced criminal charges, often for defending the regime\u2019s critics and protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of their post-election crackdown on dissent, authorities have taken full control of the legal profession, abolishing independent legal practice and confining lawyers to legal consultancy offices governed by the ministry. Many lawyers fled the country, fearing politically motivated persecution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk, the number of lawyers in Belarus dropped from 2,200 in 2021 to 1,600 in January 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka said that the bar should act \u201cbased on the norms of law, not on some made-up norms like freedom of speech and other freedoms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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