Ukraine will strengthen protection of advocates: signing of the Council of Europe Convention is expected in May - V. Vatras

Ukraine plans to join the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Advocates in May. This decision has become relevant against the backdrop of the NABUgate case and other violations of lawyers' rights.

Ukraine may join the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Professional Rights of Lawyers in May. This was reported to UNN by Volodymyr Vatras, MP, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy, chairman of the subcommittee on the organization of the Bar.

According to him, the subcommittee held a working meeting on the provisions of the new Convention adopted by the Council of Europe on March 12, 2025. The event was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), the Bar Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and several parliamentary committees, including those on European integration and international cooperation.

"We have received a presentation of the key provisions of the document, and there is consolidated support among the relevant parliamentary committees for the future ratification...

If Ukraine were among the first signatory countries, it would be very important for our international activities", - V. Vatras said.

He also emphasized that there are currently problems with illegal actions against lawyers, which have already been discussed with the UNBA leadership, Lidiya Izovitova and Valentyn Gvozdiy.

We heard about certain problems that exist today in terms of illegal detentions, searches, and interference in their activities. And, in fact, we know these problems, because a significant number of MPs are formerly practicing lawyers, the MP added.

V. Vatras also said that the parliament has already adopted in the first reading a bill that prohibits the identification of a lawyer with a client and increases responsibility for interference with the activities of a defense lawyer.

"We may eventually come up with a new version of the law on the Bar, as recommended by our European partners", - V. Vatras summarized.

We would like to add that the issue of strengthening the guarantees of protection of lawyers has become particularly relevant against the backdrop of the high-profile NABUgate case, when detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau set up a wiretap in the office of Kyiv lawyers defending defendants in NABU cases. The wiretap was mounted by detectives in the meeting room where the lawyers were having confidential conversations with clients - persons in the procedural status of suspects or witnesses in NABU cases.

The Ukrainian National Bar Association recorded a number of violations, including illegal searches, seizure of documents containing attorney-client privilege, and abuse of power by NABU detectives. Based on these facts, the UNBA succeeded in opening criminal proceedings against the NABU detectives. After that, the NABU resorted to information attacks against the UNBA and the bar self-government for "disobedience" to them.

Speakers close to the NABU also suggest that the Register of Court Decisions should be closed, and citizens and lawyers in particular should be deprived of access to the texts of court decisions.

For more information about the Convention

On March 12, 2025, the Council of Europe adopted the Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer - the first international instrument that directly obliges states to guarantee:

• security, independence and inviolability of the legal profession;
• protection from unlawful interference - searches, wiretaps, pressure;
• confidentiality of the legal profession;
• impossibility of prosecution of lawyers for the performance of professional duties;
• introduction of effective mechanisms for appeal and liability for violation of the rights of lawyers.