MOSCOW, December 3 (RAPSI) – Such systemic problems as unjustified summons of lawyers for questioning and searches in law offices have been practically settled over the last few decades, according to Vice President of Russia’s Federal Chamber of Lawyers Genri Reznik.
The day of the full settlement of these problems is already not far away, Reznik said addressing an online meeting of the Association of Russian Lawyers’ Legal Services Commission on Thursday.
As to searches, lawyers for five years have been urging Russia’s Code of Criminal Procedure, which allowed searches without court orders, to be brought in conformity with the law on legal services prohibiting such practices. After lawyers turned to the Constitutional Court, it ruled that the priority of the Code of Criminal Procedure was not absolute and in cases, where another law set forth greater protection of human rights, such a law was to have priority over the Code. The task remained to be accomplished, Reznik added, is to oblige courts to define the lists of evidence to be sized.
The Vice President of Russia’s Federal Chamber of Lawyers cited several cases, where lawyers were prosecuted because of supposedly too high fees paid to them; legal services are unique and it is extremely difficult to assess its quality and usefulness for clients, Reznik stressed.
Besides, the prominent lawyer observed, interventions in judicial matters is criminalized and is severely prosecuted, whereas attempts of lawyers to convince courts of their cause are often seen as intent to interfere with law enforcement agencies or courts.