The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the judicial harassment and intimidation against Mr. Aliaksandr Pylchanka, lawyer for detained opposition leaders Viktar Babaryka and Maria Kalensnikava, and Ms. Yulia Levanchuk, lawyer defending the owner of a flower shop who was the victim of severe police brutality after having handed out flowers to protesters[1].
According to the information received, on October 15, 2020, the Ministry of Justice of Belarus revoked the license to practice law of Mr. Plychanka and Ms. Levanchuk. Both lawyers will appeal this decision.
On October 7, 2020, Mr. Aliaksandr Pylchanka had received a notification from the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus that a meeting of its Commission for the Qualification for legal practice in the Republic of Belarus had been scheduled for October 15 to consider the revocation of his license to practice law. It was explained through the notification that Mr. Pylchanka’s involvement in “the commission of a misdemeanour was incompatible with the title of lawyer”, namely, “the commission of actions discrediting the bar”, was the reason for this decision.
Mr. Pylchanka had received no information regarding these complaints prior to October 7, 2020, from the Ministry of Justice, and the materials to be considered at the meeting of the Commission as supporting evidence for his debarment were only shared with him for review on October 9, 2020.
The evidence brought against Mr. Pylchanka consisted of an interview published on the independent news website Tut.by where he is seen commenting on the actions which should be taken by law enforcement officials and the judicial system in Belarus following the widespread and unjustified use of violence and torture against civilians by such agencies over the last few months. Specifically, Mr. Pylchanka recommended that such actions of law enforcement officials should be investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.
The Observatory expresses its utmost concern over Mr. Aliaksandr Pylchanka’s and Ms. Yulia Levanchuk’s cases of debarment, which appear to be an attempt to put pressure on Mr. Pylchanka with regards to his work in providing legal aid to opposition members, and on Ms. Levanchuk with regards to her work in defending victims of police brutality. The Observatory also considers this as an attempt to intimidate other legal professionals who defend human rights defenders and opposition voices, one of many actions to discourage further work with similar cases. Such tactics can be seen across Belarus at this time, where any dissident voices are brutally shut down by violent police forces during peaceful protests in the streets, or by the judicial harassment of the lawyers who defend those voices.
How You Can Help
The Observatory urges the Belarusian authorities to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Mr. Aliaksandr Pylchanka and Ms. Yulia Levanchuk, and all other lawyers and human rights defenders in Belarus;
ii. Reinstatethe licenses of Mr. Pylchanka and Ms. Levanchuk, and put an end to any obstacle to the exercise of their professional activities;
iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Aliaksandr Pylchanka and Ms. Yulia Levanchuk and all other lawyers and human rights defenders in Belarus, and ensure in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals;
iv. Conform in all circumstances with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the United Nations General Assembly, in particular its Articles 1, 6 and 12.2;
v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights instruments ratified by Belarus.
Addresses
· Mr. Aliaksandr Lukashenka, President of Belarus, Email: contact@president.gov.by
· Mr. Aliaksandr Konyuk, General Prosecutor of Belarus, Email: info@prokuratura.gov.by
· Mr. Oleg Slizhevsky, Minister of Justice of Belarus, Email: kanc@minjust.by
· Mr. Leonid Anfimov, Chairman of the State Control Committee of Belarus, Email: kgk@mail.belpak.by
· Mr. Yury Ambrazevich, Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Email: mission.belarus@ties.itu.int
· H.E. Mr. Aliaksandr Mikhnevich, Embassy of Belarus in Brussels, Email: belgium@mfa.gov.by
Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Belarus in your respective countries.
