Expert discussions on the procedural safeguards and protection against undue interferences for lawyers in Armenia
The expert discussions were organised within the regional project “Strengthening the profession of lawyer in line with European standards” funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe within the framework of the Partnership for Good Governance. The Project is implemented in 5 countries – Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, and is focused on strengthening the cooperation between the bar associations and law societies of the participating countries with a view to improving the internal functioning and independence of the bars in accordance with the Council of Europe standards and recommendations.
Within the project a cross-country review on the procedural safeguards and protection against undue interferences for lawyers in the five participating countries was developed by the international consultants in close cooperation with the national stakeholders and beneficiaries of the project. Along with the in-depth comparative analysis, the review provides recommendations for the improvement of the issues related to the safeguards of lawyers in project countries. These recommendations will be followed by the development of detailed country-specific action plans as to the introduction or improvement of mechanisms that provide an effective defense to lawyers.
The expert discussions were organised prior to the development of the country-specific action plan for Armenia and served as a platform for discussing the feasibility of the introduced recommendations, the ways of their transformation into the action plan and their practical realisation with the representatives of the lawyers’ community in the country.
At the same time, the expert discussion provided an opportunity to the participants to familiarise with the CoE findings regarding the current legal frameworks regulating the procedural safeguards for the independence of lawyers and lawyer-client confidential relationship in Armenia, the assessment of the enforcement of the given legal provisions in practice, including gender equality in enjoying procedural warranties and to foster their understanding of the European standards related to the abovementioned issues.
In her opening remarks Ms Martina Schmidt, Head of Council of Europe Office in Yerevan expressed satisfaction with the fact, that the aspects of approximation of legal standards in Armenia are now being addressed by the CoE and EU also on the regional level, along with the bi-lateral partnership with the country. She articulated that the strengthening of the legal profession in EaP countries has become another direction of concentration within the framework of the long-standing co-operation and partnership with the European Union within the PGG.
Ms Lilit Daneghian, Deputy Head of the Department for the implementation of Human Rights, Justice and Legal Co-operation Standards of the Council of Europe pointed out the importance of the existing high level of engagement and representation of the bar and professional associations of lawyers in the project and expressed the assurance that along with the immense experience and in-house expertise of the CoE, it will ensure the success and achievements of this project in Armenia.
The representatives of the lawyers’ community highlighted the importance of the modernisation of legal frameworks and capacities of the country in terms of the functioning and institutionalisation of the lawyer’s profession, particularly in respect of strengthening the independence of the legal profession. In this context, the utmost importance of sectoral co-operation and support of the CoE was particularly stressed out.