The NAAU called the publications about "lawyer-hackers" manipulative and undermining the authority of the bar

The Committee for the Protection of Advocates' Rights and Guarantees of Advocacy of the National Bar Association of Ukraine has stated about the deliberate dissemination of false, distorted and manipulative information in the publications of the "Mirror of the Week" regarding the so-called case of "advocate-hackers". The NBAA states that such actions may be an element of a custom-made media campaign aimed at discrediting the institution of advocacy, UNN reports with reference to the official statement of the Committee. 

The dissemination of such materials harms the reputation and undermines the authority of the legal profession in the eyes of society. The very fact of their placement and systematic promotion may contain signs of pressure on the constitutional institute 

The NBAA stressed that the main task of the association, according to the law, is to protect the professional rights of lawyers and ensure compliance with the guarantees of advocacy - regardless of personalities.

The Committee also reminded that it had submitted a statement to the Office of the Prosecutor General and the SBI regarding the facts of illegal wiretapping of the lawyers' office and searches by NABU detectives. The court recognized the validity of the arguments and ordered the opening of proceedings.

The statement notes that the nature and manner of presentation of the materials of "Mirror of the Week" has signs of a targeted campaign in the interests of NABU and SAP.

Presumably, it is an attempt to shape public opinion regarding a separate criminal case in favor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and NABU 

In this regard, the NBAA appealed:

• to the media with a demand to stop spreading false information;

• to NABU, SAP, and the editors of ZN.UA — with a request regarding possible contractual relations or financial settlements between the parties.

The NBAA also reported that they are working on the issue of appealing to law enforcement agencies with a statement about the possible commission of a crime by a group of persons involved in the campaign to discredit the legal profession.

As a reminder, the National Bar Association of Ukraine appealed to the Office of the Prosecutor General and the State Bureau of Investigation with a statement about the commission of a gross crime by NABU detectives, who installed "wiretapping" in the office of metropolitan lawyers. The Association sees in the actions of NABU detectives a violation of a number of articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Their appeal states that the detectives not only wiretapped, entered the office of lawyers in the center of the capital, but also conducted illegal searches there "before the investigating judge issued a decision without proper grounds", thereby grossly violating the rights and legitimate interests of lawyers. Moreover, as stated in the letter, NABU detectives were fully aware that they were entering the office of lawyers, since this address is official and registered in the register of lawyers. 

Earlier it was reported that NABU had established wiretapping in the office of metropolitan lawyers. The "wiretapping" was installed in the meeting room, where lawyers discussed their defense strategies with clients. Moreover, the clients whose conversations were recorded were under investigation by NABU itself.