Interdiction de conseils juridiques au titre des sanctions contre la Russie: impact sur les garanties d’un État de droit et sur le droit à un conseil par des avocats indépendants et dans le respect du secret professionnel

Interdiction de conseils juridiques au titre des sanctions contre la Russie: impact sur les garanties d’un État de droit et sur le droit à un conseil par des avocats indépendants et dans le respect du secret professionnel, ZSR/RDS Band 144 (2025) II, p. 193 ss Journal

At the end of 2022, as part of the sanctions against Russia, the Council of the EU, followed by the Swiss Federal Council adopted measures aimed at prohibiting the provision of certain legal services by lawyers to the Russian government and to legal persons, companies or entities established in Russia.
This unprecedented ban undermines the fundamental right of all individuals to access justice and the law, in particular to be informed of their rights and obligations and to be advised on the legal implications of their commitments. This ban also calls into question the independence of lawyers and their professional secrecy. It is currently the subject of annulment proceedings before the EU courts and of a parliamentary motion in Switzerland also seeking to annul it. This contribution examines the legal framework in which this ban is set, as well as its impact on the guarantees of the rule of law and on the right to independent legal advice and professional secrecy.