Lawyer Veaceslav Turcan stated that lawyer’s independence in Moldova is seriously infringed by the law enforcement bodies. In a news conference at IPN, he said that anticorruption prosecutors hinder the lawyers from fulfilling their professional obligations.
Veaceslav Turcan related the case of a colleague of his Alexandru Bernaz. In 2013, the lawyer signed a legal advice contract for defending a man in a case investigated by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office. The lawyer showed professional perseverance in defending his client and the prosecutors resorted to illegal acts in order to press him.
On September 5, the office, car and home of Alexandru Bernaz were searched by anticorruption prosecutors based on an order issued by the judge. The lawyer was suspected of organizing the offense of which his client is accused.
Veaceslav Turcan said the illegality resides in the fact that Alexandru Bernaz isn’t investigated and wasn’t charged and searches shouldn’t have been performed in this case. Also, the Law on Advocacy was violated as it bans interference in the work of lawyers and provides that the authorities must not discriminate against them and must not interfere unjustifiably in their work.
Veaceslav Turcan stated that as a result of the search, the prosecutors confiscated nothing and nobody provided explanations as regards the circumstances stipulated in the search order. Owing to such illegalities, Moldova is often convicted by the ECHR. The lawyer called on the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate this case and to take measures to monitor the inferiors who resort to illegal acts.
