House for the Bar

On Dec 1 the Atyrau Oblast Bar Association presented their new office on Moldagaliev Street. It’s been a good while since this organization knocked about in unsuitable offices, and in recent years it took shelter in the 3-roomed apartment in Avanguard city distrct. Meanwhile, to-date over 100 barristers are registered in Atyrau Oblast.

Besides offices, there is a big conference room in the new building.

We asked Aisulu UMAROVA, the chairman of the bar association, in what cases the services of a free lawyer are provided to a person under an investigation and a defendant:

– If a person due to his/her financial difficulties cannot hire a lawyer. The people mistakenly believe that they are, so called, “lawyers of police”. But actually they are the bar association lawyers, who provide these services in accordance with the duty schedule that we send to law enforcement agencies. The payment for the services is made from the republican budget. In addition, our lawyers provide free consultations to socially vulnerable (unprotected) categories of population: disabled people of group 1 and 2, people from low-income families, etc. The payment for these services is also made from the state budget.

By Laura SULEYMENOVA

Photo of the author