Advocates perform an irreplaceable function of realization of rights – the President of the ECHR

Advocates are key players in the legal system who promote the rule of law by acting to ensure the fair and consistent application of laws.

This was stated by the President of the European Court of Human Rights Marko Boshniak during a speech to the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), the official website of the Council of Europe reports.

For reference: CCBE is an international association that represents more than a million European lawyers before European and other international institutions. The most important missions of the CCBE are the regulation of the profession, the protection of the rule of law, human rights and democratic values. CCBE members are bars and law societies from 46 countries of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Europe.

The President of the ECHR named a number of decisions that have contributed to the protection of the professional activity of lawyers over the years. He also paid tribute to the role of lawyers in implementing the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms both at the national level and in Strasbourg. After all, it is lawyers who are the first to record human rights violations, ensure access to justice and provide the necessary legal support.

«The main thing is that lawyers who represent, advise and defend clients at every stage of their journey to justice perform an irreplaceable function of realizing rights», - said M. Boshniak.

He also noted that the innovative international treaty of the Council of Europe - the Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer - was developed in response to the growing number of attacks, threats, harassment and intimidation of lawyers.

The Convention was recently adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Valentyn Gvozdiy, the Vice President of the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the Bar Council of Ukraine, was directly involved in its development as a member of the Committee of Experts on the Protection of Advocates (CJ-AV). The UNBA translated into Ukrainian the Convention itself and the explanatory report (commentary) to it, and called on MPs and relevant ministries to ensure the expedited signing and ratification of this international treaty by Ukraine.

The Convention will be opened for signature on May 13 during a meeting of Council of Europe foreign ministers in Luxembourg.