“Shooting” uncomfortable lawyers goes on

Lawyers of political prisoners Iryna Khalip and Mikita Likhavid failed to pass qualification exams.

We remind that the Ministry of Justice initiated unscheduled qualification exams for lawyers this summer. As journalist Iryna Khalip, the wife of presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, told charter97.org, she learnt today that her lawyer Hanna Bakhtsina failed to pass the qualification exam in the Ministry of Justice. This means that Bakhtsina will be disbarred.

“The qualification commission was chaired by Zelyanko, the head of the justice department of the Minsk city executive committee. He said at the sitting that Bakhtsina had violations relating to her work as a lawyer. But this hung in the air, because he had no proofs to confirm his words. Later, Zelyanko understood he could not prove it. The lawyer did not commit violations. In 2010, Bakhtsina was awarded with a diploma of the Ministry of Justice for “defence of civil rights and freedoms”. When the words about violations hung in the air, because no one could prove any violations, Bakhtsina was accused of not promoting justice, not writing articles to official newspapers and not appearing on TV and radio.

From May 2010 to June 2011, Bakhtsina was involved in a big legal process, which had 40 accused. The process lasted for a year, she worked from 10 am to 6 pm every day. Nevertheless, she found time for me, visited me when I was under home arrest, prepared for the trial and defended me brilliantly. Bakhtsina was not afraid of defending me, though two previous lawyers, who had defended me, were disbarred,” Iryna Khalip said.

Hanna Bakhtsina said to the commission she would defend herself and wouldn’t give up without struggle.

“I link these problems that Hanna Bakhtsina has faced with her brilliant speeches at the trial over me and at hearing of my cassation appeal, when she dared to tell the judges that our cases would be reviewed sooner or later and that judges delivering unfair judgments would be brought to responsibility. Western diplomats present at the trial said only: ‘If such a lawyer could talk in a normal court,’” Iryna Khalip said.

As it became known today, lawyer Daria Lipkina, who defended political prisoner Mikita Likhavid, did not pass the qualification exam.

We remind that the Ministry of Justice disbarred in February four lawyer of the Minsk City Bar – Aleh Aheyeu, Tatsyana Aheyeva, Uladzimir Toustsik and Tamara Harayeva. They defended the people involved in the case of the so called mass disorders in Minsk on December 19. On March 3, lawyer of presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, Pavel Sapelka, was disbarred too.