The community of Belarusian attorneys affected by state interference in advocacy and deprived of the right to profession nominated their imprisoned colleagues Alexander Danilevich and Vitaly Braginets for the Lawyers for Lawyers 2023 Award.
Since 2020, at least 98 attorneys have been deprived of the right to profession (at the moment the total number of attorneys in Belarus is less than 1,700). Many attorneys are deprived not only of their profession but also of their freedom for the lawful exercise of their professional duties. Among them are well–known attorneys Vitaly Braginets and Alexander Danilevich.
In a situation when numerous attorneys in Belarus are intimidated by reprisals against their colleagues and avoid taking up a defense in politically motivated cases, Vitaly Braginets, despite the risk of personal persecution, has used all legal defense mechanisms and procedures in his work, setting an example of how an attorney should act based on the standards of the profession, including the defense in 2021-2022 of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski.
In the middle of a severe political crisis in Belarus, which is rooted in the 2020 presidential election, Alexander Danilevich provided legal assistance to prominent Belarusian athletes who spoke out against massive human rights violations. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his anti-war public activity contributed to restoring peace and ending violations of Ukrainians’ right to life; Aliaksandr insisted that the territory of Belarus should not be used in the war.
The Lawyers for Lawyers Award is granted to lawyers who have made a significant contribution to the protection of the rule of law and human rights in challenging conditions. Belarusian attorneys Maxim Znak and Lyudmila Kazak received the Lawyers for Lawyers 2021 award. It was presented at a ceremony in Amsterdam on November 18, 2021.
Since 2020, at least 98 attorneys have been deprived of the right to profession (at the moment the total number of attorneys in Belarus is less than 1,700). Many attorneys are deprived not only of their profession but also of their freedom for the lawful exercise of their professional duties. Among them are well–known attorneys Vitaly Braginets and Alexander Danilevich.
In a situation when numerous attorneys in Belarus are intimidated by reprisals against their colleagues and avoid taking up a defense in politically motivated cases, Vitaly Braginets, despite the risk of personal persecution, has used all legal defense mechanisms and procedures in his work, setting an example of how an attorney should act based on the standards of the profession, including the defense in 2021-2022 of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski.
In the middle of a severe political crisis in Belarus, which is rooted in the 2020 presidential election, Alexander Danilevich provided legal assistance to prominent Belarusian athletes who spoke out against massive human rights violations. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his anti-war public activity contributed to restoring peace and ending violations of Ukrainians’ right to life; Aliaksandr insisted that the territory of Belarus should not be used in the war.
The Lawyers for Lawyers Award is granted to lawyers who have made a significant contribution to the protection of the rule of law and human rights in challenging conditions. Belarusian attorneys Maxim Znak and Lyudmila Kazak received the Lawyers for Lawyers 2021 award. It was presented at a ceremony in Amsterdam on November 18, 2021.
