A lawyer was notified of suspicion in her clients' case

The prosecutor served the lawyer with a notice of suspicion of committing a crime in the proceedings where she was defending the suspects. On the instructions of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement, this case should be properly assessed by the PGO and the National Police.

Lidiya Izovitova, the President of UNBA, BCU and the Verkhovna Rada Committee addressed the relevant committee with a corresponding appeal regarding the fact of identification of a lawyer with a client.

The UNBA recalled the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, adopted by the VIII UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime. The document stipulates that states must ensure that lawyers are able to exercise their professional duties without intimidation or hindrance, and exclude any possibility of punishing or threatening to punish a lawyer for actions taken in accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and ethical norms.

The advocates shall not be identified with clients and their cases in connection with the performance of their professional duties; at the same time, the advocate shall have criminal and civil immunity from prosecution for statements relating to the case made in writing or orally in the good faith performance of his or her duties and the exercise of professional responsibilities in court.

The direct prohibition of identification of an advocate with a client is also contained in clause 16, part 1, Article 23 of the Law «On the Bar and Practice of Law». And according to the decision of the Bar Council of Ukraine dated 05.08.2020 No. 49 «On Preventing the Identification of Attorneys with Clients and Interference with the Professional Rights of Attorneys», this legislative prohibition is aimed primarily at the unimpeded provision of professional legal aid and ensuring its high level and effectiveness, which in turn is one of the guarantees of everyone's right to a fair trial.

The UNBA believes that the identification of advocates with clients, labeling them as «collusion with the client», «joint criminal intent with the client», etc. violates the guaranteed right of advocates to inviolability of honor, dignity and business reputation, as well as discredits them in the eyes of the client and threatens to form a negative public opinion about the guilt of the advocate. And cases of identification of advocates with clients pose obstacles to the establishment of the rule of law and independence of the justice system in Ukraine.

Thus, serving a notice of suspicion to an advocate in criminal proceedings where she is a defense counsel is not only a violation of the guarantees of the practice of law, but also contains the elements of a crime under Part 2 of Article 397 (Violation of the guarantees of the defense counsel's activity established by law, committed by an official using his/her official position) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Earlier, the UNBA Committee on Protection of Advocates' Rights and Guarantees of Practice of Law sent letters to the Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine and the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation located in Kyiv.

In response to the appeal to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement, the Chairman of this Committee Serhiy Ionushas said that he had sent the information to the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Police of Ukraine to organize an inspection on the issues raised. The Ukrainian National Bar Association will be informed about the results and the decision taken.