The Belarusian Republican Bar Association's news about the October 6 conference begins with a "lightning" emoji. Indeed, given the limited number of foreign bar associations willing to cooperate with the Belarusian Bar Association, "international" conferences are a rare occurrence. This time, only two countries are represented: Belarus and Russia. The conference focuses on the topic of "Advocacy in the Union State of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation" and addresses current issues in the field of advocacy. According to the Belarusian Bar, there are "over 200" participants, including representatives from 30 Russian regions. The number of Belarusian representatives is not specified.
Belarusian Bar Telegram channel features over 20 posts dedicated to the conference, with most being quotes or reminders that the conference is ongoing (!).
Before the event, there were reports about the visit of the Russian delegation to Belarusian collegiums. A meeting of the International Union of Attorneys
was also held as part of the "international conference" for attorneys from Belarus and Russia. If you were unaware of this organization's existence, it "
brings together attorneys from CIS countries, including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova, as well as attorneys and bar associations from various regions of the Russian Federation". The organization's goals and objectives include the "promotion of internationally recognized principles and standards of advocacy, the ethical foundations of advocacy, and ensuring the independence of attorneys." They aim to protect the rights, freedoms, honor, and dignity of their members. However, we could not find any press releases or statements on the organization's website regarding violations of the right to practice law and guarantees of independence in Belarus and Russia.