31 May 2021
Source: Facebook
Today is Lawyer’s Day.
I’ve always had a lot of lawyer friends, and on this day I want to express my appreciation for them. Nowadays, in a Russia where justice has been all but abolished, it is a nigh herculean feat to be a real lawyer, that is one who goes to court not only to defend their clients, but also to show that and Justice and Law exist and must be observed.
Many times I’ve seen how judges mock and quite literally bully lawyers. We’ve all heard stories of how bold and uncompromising lawyers are thrown out of trials, how court bailiffs drag them by force out of courtrooms, how they are unlawfully searched in remand centres, barred from meeting their clients, how criminal charges are laid against them and their offices and homes are searched unlawfully.
I have heard from many lawyers that they often lose heart and are ready to quit their profession. However, these moments of fatigue and depression pass and the lawyers again hurry to prisons, penal colonies, police cells and courts. A lot of them actually do save people’s lives and their futures. The one thing I regret is that I did not become a lawyer.
Happy Lawyer’s Day! And thank you!
Translated by Friedrich Berg
