Restrictions on Public Disclosure of Lawyers’ Clients

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Member of Parliament Hryhorii Mamka, elected from the now-banned Opposition Platform – For Life (OPZZh), introduced a draft law establishing administrative liability for publicly identifying lawyers with their clients.

The initiative followed proposals advanced by the National Bar Association of Ukraine, headed since 2012 by Lidiia Izovitova, who has been publicly associated with Viktor Medvedchuk.

According to critics of the bill, journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens could face fines for publicly mentioning that a particular lawyer represented a specific client. Examples cited during parliamentary debate included references to lawyers who had represented individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes, including high-profile corruption and treason cases.

The draft law was opposed by several civil society organizations, including DEJURE Foundation, Holka, the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), and the CHESNO Movement. They argued that the initiative contained elements of censorship and could create obstacles for investigative journalism and public oversight.

Following the adoption of the bill in the second reading, MP Serhii Vlasenko proposed that Parliament urgently request the Speaker to sign the law without delay. The proposal was supported by a majority of MPs.

In response, MP Anastasiia Radina, Chair of the Parliamentary Anti-Corruption Committee, announced preparations for a blocking resolution to prevent the law from being signed. She warned that journalists could be fined between UAH 1,700 and UAH 3,400 for publicly identifying a lawyer’s client, with significantly higher penalties for repeated violations. Proceedings could be initiated following complaints submitted by lawyers themselves.

MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, described the initiative as an attack on freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.

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