STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF BARRISTERS, J.S.C. Oleksiy Shevchuk Regarding Unlawful Interference in the Professional Activities of the Association’s Attorneys

We have learned of provocations being orchestrated with the aim of undermining the defense being provided by our law firm to Vladislav Manger, Chairman of the Kherson Regional Council. Since yesterday, the phones of all our attorneys (Konstantin Globa, Andriy Levkovets, and Oleksandr Shadrin) involved in the client’s defense have been tapped, and their email accounts have been hacked. In addition, unknown individuals are stationed outside our offices as well as at the home addresses of the lawyers at Barristers Law Firm.

We suspect that representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine are involved in this. We are concerned for the lives and health of our colleagues and their families!

We are sending this statement to the heads of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, and the State Bureau of Investigations. We ask them to intervene in this matter and provide state protection for us and our client.

Please consider this communication as an official statement regarding a criminal offense being committed against the attorneys of our law firm, as well as regarding interference in their professional activities.

In addition, today the court decided to refer the case materials for review to determine whether law enforcement officials have committed any unlawful acts against the attorneys.