Problematic aspects of attorney’s participation in pre-trial investigation under martial law

According to Article 59 of the Constitution of Ukraine, everyone has the right to legal aid. In cases provided for by law, this assistance is provided free of charge. Everyone is free to choose a defender of their rights. The Bar operates in Ukraine to ensure the right to defense against accusations and to provide legal assistance in resolving cases in courts and other state bodies. These provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine are duplicated in Article 20 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. According to this provision, a suspect, accused, acquitted, or convicted person has the right to defense, which consists in providing him or her with the opportunity to provide oral or written explanations regarding the suspicion or accusation, the right to collect and submit evidence, to participate personally in criminal proceedings, to use legal assistance of a defense counsel, and to exercise other procedural rights provided for by the CPC of Ukraine. Thus, the direct duty of law enforcement agencies is to protect the legitimate rights and freedoms of a person regardless of his or her gender, nationality, language, citizenship, age, social origin, political beliefs, etc. At the same time, the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of a suspect, accused, defendant, acquitted person, a person in respect of whom compulsory medical or educational measures are to be applied or the issue of their application in criminal proceedings is being decided, a person in respect of whom extradition to a foreign state is being considered, as well as a person being brought to administrative responsibility during the consideration of an administrative offense case is carried out by an advocate. This is, in particular, stated in the Law of Ukraine «On the Bar and Practice of Law» № 5076-VI of July 05, 2012. Taking into account the above provisions, it is important to identify and analyze the problematic aspects of the participation of an attorney-at-law in pre-trial investigation in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine in the context of the introduction of martial law in Ukraine (Decree of the President of Ukraine «On the Introduction of Martial Law in Ukraine» approved by the Law of Ukraine of February 24, 2022 № 2102-IX).