It was informed that based on the provisions of the Charter of the Church of Cyprus, he cannot appear in the proceedings as a defense counsel
Purpose behind the decision of the six-member Synodal Court that he cannot appear as a counsel in the proceedings for the case of the Holy Monastery of Osios Abvakum, which will begin next Friday, is seen by one of the lawyers of the monks on holiday, Anastasios Vavouskos, who spoke, speaking to KYPE, about his “heinously illegal” challenge.
In a telephone conversation that the KYPE had with Mr. Vavousko, he stated that the Synodal Court sent a letter to the lawyers of the monks on holiday, through which it informed them that it had examined their request, for his presence in the judicial process and that it unanimously decided that Anastasios Vavouskos, based on the provisions of the Charter of the Church of Cyprus, cannot appear in the proceedings as a defense attorney.
As Mr. Vavouskos stated in the KYPE, “it is the defendant's fundamental right to choose his lawyer”, to note that the Charter stipulates that their lawyer can be either a clerical lawyer or a lawyer who has practiced the profession for five years in Cyprus.
According to Anastasios Vavousko, the legal proceedings before the six-member Synodal Court are certain to start next Friday, while in relation to his presence there he said that he does not yet know how they will react.
“A hearing has been set for Friday. From then on, how we will react to this grossly illegal questioning of mine, we will see along the way,” he said.
Vavouskos pointed out that he is the legal lawyer of the monks, while he described as “incorrect” the questioning of his status as an advocate of the monks, since according to the Charter the advocate can be chosen by the accused from among clergymen or lawyers with five-year term and with the permission of the Constitutional Court, who are members of the staff of the Church of Cyprus.
“From the moment I will land in Cyprus and stay for a few days in a certain place and residence, with a declared address, I belong to the crew of the Church of Cyprus for as many days as I am in Cyprus and I am subject to the local Bishop, who is the Archbishop. They are basic principles of Canon Law”, explained Mr. Vavouskos.
He spoke of a “sudden” decision on the part of the Synodal Court and specifically stated that this arose after he himself sent them an informative document, with the approximately thirty objections, which will be filed before them to facilitate the process.
Asked if he thinks there is a purpose behind this, Mr. Vavouskos replied “of course, because the charter stipulates that the lawyer can be either a clerical advocate or a lawyer who has been practicing the profession in Cyprus for five years”.
“As soon as I sent the informative document with the thirty or so objections, which will be filed before them to facilitate the process, this was done and they began to find a way – now validly – to get Vavusko out of the way,” he said.
He explained that “according to article 1 of the Charter, those who live in Cyprus as adult Orthodox Christians belong to the staff of the Church of Cyprus”, to note that since he himself is an adult and will be for about a week in Cyprus at a specific address is a member of the staff of the Church of Cyprus and according to the Charter.
