22:38, 5 September 2024

Mikhail Benyash* demands return of his lawyer status

Mikhail Benyash (included into the register of foreign agents), photo posted on his Telegram channel on March 17, 2024, https://t.me/benyash/3495

Mikhail Benyash*, a lawyer, has filed a lawsuit against the Krasnodar Territorial Bar Association and the Russian Federal Bar Association, demanding that the deprivation of his lawyer status be declared illegal.

"I want to reinstate my lawyer status because I like this job," he explained on his Telegram channel.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 15, 2022, Benyash* reported that the territorial branch of the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) demanded from the Krasnodar Bar Association to deprive him of his lawyer status. According to lawyers, deprivation of status is provided for gross violations, and the grounds named by the MoJ are not among them.

Earlier, the qualification commission of the Krasnodar Territorial Bar Association found violations of professional ethics in Benyash*'s Telegram posts. As a result, on February 17, 2023, the above Bar Association deprived Mikhail Benyash* of his lawyer status for three years.

The Krasnodar Territorial Branch of the MoJ stated that Benyash* had undermined the status of the legal profession by posting "inappropriate statements" about authorities in his Telegram channel, which is incompatible with the lawyer status. Benyash* himself noted that the MoJ failed to conduct a full linguistic examination, and without it, the qualification commission could not make its decision.

Mikhail Benyash*, known for his participation in cases of those detained at rallies, was subjected to high-profile criminal prosecution for the use of violence against a state official and was fined under the article on discrediting the Russian Army. In late 2022, he was added to the list of foreign agents and suspended from taking part in cases.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 5, 2024 at 08:21 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot