The Heinrich-Boell-Foundation in Germany has published a new book entitled ‘I am lawyer’, to commemorate the life and work of Russian lawyer, Yuri Schmidt.

Schmidt, who passed away on January 12, 2013, was an internationally renowned human rights lawyer and a key member of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s defence team. He devoted his life to fighting against the systematic politicisation of the justice system in Russia. Schmidt always said that the political convictions of his clients were secondary, but he needed to be convinced about their innocence and about the political motivation behind their persecution.

The book is based on an interview with Schmidt by German Green Party politician Marieluise Beck and Jens Siegert, head of the Heinrich-Boell-Foundation’s Moscow office. The interview took place over two days in Schmidt’s St Petersburg flat, five months before he passed away.

The book also includes a greeting by Mikhail Khodorkovsky as well as the speech by Arseny Roginsky, founder of Russian human rights organisation, Memorial, delivered in 2006 when Schmidt received the Heinrich-Boell-Foundation’s Petra-Kelly Prize for his outstanding dedication to human rights and the development of rule of law in Russia.

On January 20, 2014 the book was presented by Khodorkovsky, Beck and Roginsky at an event in Berlin.

You can view a video of the event in German and Russian.

The book can be ordered here (in German).