Chamber of Advocates orders one-day strike for court lawyers

The Chamber of Advocates has issued directives for court lawyers, ordering them to refrain from attending any sitting, hearing or scheduled case before any court, tribunal or board in the country on Monday, 22nd June.

The action is being ordered after the Chamber filed a judicial protest on the 15th of June, “regarding surveillance, monitoring, interceptions and recordings of privileged conversations between lawyers and clients at the Corradino Correctional Facility, facts which seriously undermine the fundamental right to professional privilege between lawyer and client.”

It was reported that the judicial protest had been filed after the Chamber had received a complaint that a minister in 2021 allegedly signed a warrant authorising the use of listening devices in visitation rooms in prison.

In addition to not attending any sittings or hearings on the 22nd of June, the Chamber also told its members that no non-urgent court applications, acts, notes or other written submissions should be filed with the Court registry on the day.

It advised its members to inform their clients about the action, stating that the directive is obligatory.

The Chamber is making some exemptions for urgent cases.

It said that the directives will not apply for immediate criminal court arraignments, urgent bail requests, habeas corpus cases challenging the legality of arrest or detention, and the presentation of judicial acts or counter-protests where the prescriptive period or date of legal closing is the 22nd of June.

The Chamber assured its members that in the eventuality that the judiciary takes any steps against its members conforming with the directive, it will take all the necessary steps to safeguard and defend its members.

It said that it remains open to discussions with the concerned authorities, but the directive will remain in force for the whole of the 22nd of June, unless an official directive cancelling it is posted on the Chamber of Advocates website.