Two disciplinary cases were initiated against the lawyer Sasha Skochylenko

The Bar Association of St. Petersburg initiated two disciplinary cases against the lawyer Yury Novolodsky, who defends Sasha Skochylenko, who is accused in the case of so-called fakes. This was reported by lawyer Alexander Meleshko to Sever.Realia with reference to Novolodsky himself.

What became the reason for the initiation of two disciplinary cases is not specified.

Meleshko reported that so far he had only met one of the disciplinary cases. At the same time, he noted that he could not comment on specific details of the case.

According to Meleshko, his colleague is being persecuted for criticizing the leadership of the chamber. “Apparently, the permanent authoritarian leadership of the chamber decided to get rid of its most principled critic, turned on the mad disciplinary printer,” Meleshko said.

The lawyer believes that the initiation of cases may threaten Novolodsky with deprivation of status.

The hearing is scheduled for April 20. On the same day, another hearing was scheduled in the case of Sasha Skochylenko. “Coincidence? I don’t think so,” said Meleshko.

• Sasha Skochylenko faces up to 10 years in prison in connection with the creation of so-called fakes about the Russian army. The investigation believes that she replaced the price tags in the store with anti-war leaflets. She was arrested and has been in pretrial detention since April 2022. The artist’s lawyers have repeatedly asked the court to change the restraining order to house arrest: Skochylenko has gluten intolerance and arrhythmia. The human rights organization Amnesty International recognized her as a prisoner of conscience.
• The Russian authorities consider any reports about the war in Ukraine that do not correspond to the official statements of the Ministry of Defense to be fakes.
• In March 2022, the Council of the Bar of St. Petersburg adopted a decision to suspend Ivan Pavlov’s status as a lawyer, as requested four times by the Ministry of Justice of Russia. In the department’s presentation, it was stated that Pavlov did not appear for investigative actions in the case of journalist Ivan Safronov, financed persons who provided legal assistance to people “carrying out activities aimed at undermining the authority of state and judicial authorities.” The Ministry of Justice also considered that the status of “foreign agent”, which the department itself assigned to Pavlov, caused “significant damage” to the lawyer’s professional and civil reputation.