Proceedings opened following attack on advocate in Dnipro

The Committee for the protection of advocates' rights and guarantees of legal practice of the UNBA appealed to law enforcement agencies in connection with an advocate's report of an attack while performing his professional duties. The information was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations and a pre-trial investigation was initiated.

The incident occurred in October 2025, when the advocate arrived at Dnipro Penitentiary Institution No. 4, where his client, a suspect in a criminal case, was being held. Bail had been posted for the client, and he was to be released.

The lawyer handed the institution's employee the relevant certificate from the territorial office of the State Judicial Administration, after which he waited for his client at the checkpoint for more than five hours.

Towards the end of the working day, the advocate saw his client being led away by two people in military uniform, with several other people nearby. He approached the group, introduced himself, and said that he was the client's advocate, then asked what was happening, on what grounds his client was being detained, and where he was being taken. In response, they began to be rude and push him away, stating that his client was wanted under Article 210 (Violation of military registration rules by conscripts, military personnel, and reservists) of the Code of Administrative Offenses and was being detained. The advocate objected that these individuals were not law enforcement officers and did not have the authority to detain anyone, but then the shoving escalated into an assault: the advocate was struck numerous times in the face and stomach and fell to the ground.

At the same time, offensive and obscene remarks were made about his profession. A woman in uniform got out of the minibus with military license plates, where the client had been placed, followed by a man in uniform, who continued to kick and knee the advocate in the face, head, and torso while he was lying on the ground. After that, the attackers got into the car and left the scene.

After the incident, the advocate called 102 (although the police did not arrive at the scene, so the advocate later sent a statement about the crime) and called an ambulance. He was hospitalized and underwent inpatient treatment in the neurosurgery department.

The advocate also appealed to the Committee for the protection of advocates' rights and guarantees of legal practice of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, attaching materials, including medical documents and a video recording of the incident.

Since the actions described took place while the advocate was providing legal assistance to his client, they may constitute a violation of the guarantees of the practice of law provided for in Article 23 of the Law «On the advocacy and the practice of law».

The Committee referred to the criminal law classification, in particular pointing to the existing signs of intentional infliction of minor or moderate bodily harm to the defense attorney in connection with activities related to the provision of legal assistance. Liability for this crime is provided for in Part 2 of Article 398 of the Criminal Code.

Separately, the Committee drew attention to international standards, in particular the UN Basic principles on the role of advocates, which require that advocates be able to perform their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, or improper interference, and in cases of threats to their safety, that they be guaranteed adequate protection.

Letters regarding violations of professional guarantees were sent to the State Bureau of Investigations, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Dnipropetrovsk region and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

According to the Main Directorate of the National Police in Dnipropetrovsk region, information on this fact has been entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations on the grounds of a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 398 of the Criminal Code and a pre-trial investigation is underway.

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