Czech Bar Association defends prosecuted Russian lawyer Pavlov

The Czech Bar Association (CAK) has spoken up for prosecuted Russian lawyer Ivan Pavlov, a specialist in cases of high treason, espionage and opponents of the Kremlin, and called on Russia to stop pursuing Pavlov and respect the rule of law and its international commitments, the CAK told CTK on Monday. In its declaration, the CAK condemned the prosecution of Pavlov, saying that any persecution of a lawyer working with due diligence and defending their clients was inhumane and against European values. The Russian authorities detained Pavlov on Friday, a day after he defended at the court the anti-corruption funds of Alexei Navalny, the currently imprisoned prominent critic of the Kremlin.