Lawyer Of Russians Jailed In Belarus To Keep Working With Them After Losing His License

MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2021) Anton Gashinsky, who recently acquired status of a lawyer in Russia after losing same in Belarus, told Sputnik he intends to continue to represent the interests of his Russian clients, Sofia Sapega and Egor Dudnikov, who were detained in Belarus over opposition protests.

In July, the Belarusian Justice Ministry said that it had annulled Gashinsky's lawyer's license "due to systematic violations" in the legal field.

"I recently received the status of a lawyer in Russia," Gashinsky said, adding that he plans to continue working with Sapega and Dudnikov.

Dudnikov has been in custody in Minsk since May 5 over suspicions of "organizing actions that undermine order." The detainee moved to Belarus over a year earlier to live with his girlfriend.

Sapega was detained along with her partner, Belarusian opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, after a Ryanair plane was forced to land in Minsk in May.

The aircraft was supposed to fly them from Athens to Vilnius. The Belarusian authorities accused Sapega of encouraging social hatred, and contributing to violations of public order.

"I plan to represent (interests of Sapega and Dudnikov). I will announce it and ask to see them. Let us see what the Belarusian state bodies will say. Since we have a Union State (of Russia and Belarus) and the bilateral legal agreements, I believe there are no obstacles for me, with the status of a lawyer in Russia, to represent the interests of Russian citizens on the territory of Belarus," Gashinsky explained.

Neither the detainees nor their families object to his work as representative of their interests, the lawyer added.