The BCU creates a working group to monitor violations of the rights of lawyers and will consider appealing to the Verkhovna Rada

During an extraordinary meeting on April 16, 2025, the Bar Council of Ukraine decided to establish a working group to monitor and summarize the facts of violations of the rights of lawyers and guarantees of the practice of law over the past three years, including the situation with the detention of lawyer Olga Panchenko.

Upon completion of the work of this group, the BCU will consider the possibility of addressing the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with a proposal to establish a Temporary Investigation Commission (TIC) in accordance with Article 89 of the Constitution of Ukraine.

The decision to create the working group was based on the high-profile situation in Odesa, where advocate Olha Panchenko, a member of the UNBA Committee for the Protection of Professional Rights of Attorneys and a member of the Committee for the Protection of Professional Rights of Attorneys of Odesa Region, was detained. The detention took place within the framework of criminal proceedings in which she provided defense. She was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 260 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and a motion for a preventive measure was prepared.

The meeting was addressed by the Acting Chairman of the Bar Council of Odesa Region Olena Jaburia and the Chairman of the Committee for the Protection of Professional Rights of Advocates Vadym Semenov, who informed about the circumstances of the detention and actions that may indicate interference with the professional activities of the advocate. The Committee was not informed about the investigative actions before they were carried out, which is worrying given the requirements for interaction with the bar self-government.

In addition, the lawyer reported pressure from law enforcement officers who threatened to arrest her if she continued to actively defend her client. According to the Chairman of the Committee, Yevhen Solodko, other lawyers who had previously participated in the defense of the same person were mobilized to the Armed Forces. The lawyers who publicly supported their colleague reported attempts to influence them through private messages demanding that they delete their posts on social media.

Lidiya Izovitova, the President of the UNBA, BCU noted that this case is another proof of the urgent need to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, which was adopted on March 12, 2025. The Convention provides for the obligation of states to guarantee the unhindered and safe exercise of the profession of lawyer, protection from interference, harassment, pressure and discredit.

After the ratification of the Convention on the Protection of the Legal Profession, the UNBA will address the Members of Parliament of Ukraine, as subjects of legislative initiative, with proposals to amend the national legislation in order to bring it in line with international standards of protection of the legal profession.