The qualifications commission of the Moscow City Bar is threatening to strip Solidarity member Evgeny Arkhipov of his status as a lawyer, according to a November 3 press release from the Association of Russian Lawyers for Human Rights.
According to the press release, the twelve-person commission believes that lawyers have no right to engage in social activism. On this basis, the commission held a session on October 28 to demand an initiation for disciplinary proceedings against Arkhipov.
Arkhipov says he had only been given a day’s notice about the session, despite being required to attend. He asserts that upon arrival, members of the commission “didn’t let me say a single word, blamed me for some absurd things, and screamed endlessly.” He also said that they failed to introduce themselves or name their posts.
The press release asserted that “Such prohibitions are established neither in the law ...