Refusal to participate in the forum NAAU
Executive Director of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, Arkady Bushchenko lawyer publicly stated their refusal to participate in the forum NAAU.
The full text of the statement :
“I received an invitation from the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine to participate in its forum ” Protection of human rights in criminal proceedings: evidence and proof. ” The forum is held NAAU with the support of the Council of Europe project “Support to Criminal Justice Reform in Ukraine” (implemented with the financial support of the Danish Government) and the joint project of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Strengthening the development of reforms in the justice sector in Ukraine.”
Although the agenda of the forum included the important issues that I think are worthy of a professional discussion, recent developments in the legal profession makes me publicly to refuse to participate in this event.
I believe that the discussion of all the problems of the legal system requires an atmosphere of free exchange of opinions, ideas and views. Without such an atmosphere, any discussion becomes meaningless.
The governing bodies of the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine is practically since its foundation carried out a policy aimed at suppression of any dissent. Taking the start in 2013 with a mass persecution of lawyers, this policy is clearly reflected in the recent events.
September 10, 2015, at the initiative of NAAU leadership, decision KDKA Kiev area lawyer Andrey Vishnevsky has been deprived of the right to practice law. The reason for this was the criticism lawyer Vishnevsky on the status of the legal profession in Ukraine at the conference “Judicial reform: strategic planning and next steps.”
This is an indisputable evidence of a deliberate policy NAAU leadership. The consequence of this is that any statement by counsel of his position could lead to disciplinary action and deprivation of the right to a profession.
I do not consider that such a policy creates the proper atmosphere for the discussions, including at the forum, which is assigned NAAU on 28-29 September 2015. NAAU management policies will certainly lead to self-censorship advocates, who may take part in the event.
I do not consider it necessary to waste your time to participate in the event, the meaning of which – in the absence of conditions for the free debate – I can not understand.
I also do not think for themselves acceptable to my participation in the event was interpreted as support for the policy pursued by the leadership NAAU.
Emphasizing the importance of the issues that will be considered at this event, I think it is appropriate to have a discussion on the sites of organizations that are more protective of the freedom of expression and appreciate the free discussion. “
Ukrainian Bar Association also released its position on the case Vishnevsky: in the organization believe that the deprivation of Andreya Vishnevskogo right to practice law is the pursuit of the public expression of their thoughts and beliefs.
Sourse, 21/09/2015
