The information about Irina Smirnova had disappeared from MRBA’s website

The editorial board of the "Right to Defense'' has found out that information about Irina Smirnova (until recently the deputy chairman of the Minsk Regional Bar Association (MRBA)) had disappeared from the MRBA’s website. The reasons for such disappearance of information about the deputy are unknown to us; there are no official statements as to her removal from office on the Bar’s website. At the same time, the position of deputy chairman is elective, however, no re-elections have been reported yet.

Earlier, Irina Smirnova testified at the court hearing in the case against attorney Andrei Mochalov. At the time of Andrei Mochalov's disbarment, she was the chairman of the MRBA: a notice with her signature banning Mochalov from practicing law was sent to the court in 2021. Based on her notice, disciplinary proceedings were also initiated against attorney Dmitry Laevsky. Mikhail Kirilyuk has also received a letter with Irina’s signature, requesting him to return the lawyer's certificate after his illegal exclusion from the MRBA.