Yesterday, during Dviguba tiesa (Double Truth) TV programme (Channel 5), HRMI Board Chair expressed his concern with that the provision of free legal assistance to the citizens depends on the goodwill of state officials.
Kęstutis Čilinskas said: “ the new law on free legal aid provides conditions for rejecting requests for assistance on indefinite grounds. For example, the officers may claim that the request has no prospects.”
Mr Čilinskas claims that the discretion of state officials in making decisions on whether to grant legal assistance should be futher restricted.
HRMI Board Chairman also noted that there is no clearly defined procedure for appealing against the rejection. “Furthermore, clear-cut assistance evaluation criteria have to be set to make lawyers' assistance efficient,” – stated Mr Čilinskas.
Dviguba tiesa TV programme is on air at 3.30 pm on Fridays, Channel 5. Programme moderated by Dainius Radzevičius.
© 2012 Human Rights Monitoring Institute