Aamer Anwar

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name = Aamer Anwar


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occupation = Lawyer
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Aamer Anwar, (born 1965) is a Scottish Human Rights lawyer of Asian background. He is noted for his left-wing political views and his support for Solidarity, Stop the War Coalition [http://www.williambowles.info/guests/2005/letter_muslims.html] and the campaigns against the 31st G8 summit and Dungavel Detention Centre for failed Asylum seekers.

Biography

Originally born in England, Aamer Anwar moved to Scotland in 1986 to study at the University of Glasgow. He became a student activist and led a campaign for black students at the city's Dental Hospital. He was still a student when, in 1991, he claims to have been chased by the police after being caught illegally Flyposting on Ashton Lane and beaten up. Later, he made legal history by taking the officers responsible to court and receiving £4,500 damages from Strathclyde Police for the assault. He graduated with a MA in Social SciencesFact|date=February 2008.

He was Scottish organiser for the Anti-Nazi League and led a march in 1993 on the London headquarters of the British National Party. He also worked for the Commission for Racial Equality, before deciding in 1997 to go to law school as a mature student.

Mr Anwar became a solicitor in 2000 and teamed up with Jason Beltrami, the son of Joe Beltrami, in a Glasgow-based partnership, before branching out on his own in 2006.

His evidence in a recent Glasgow trial, in which he and his wife had claimed they were racially abused following a car accident, was described as "not credible" by the court. He also stood trial and was acquitted of contempt of court for remarks he made after one of his clients was convicted on terrorism charges.

Legal career

He has often represented clients in high profile controversial criminal cases with political or human rights implications. He is best known for his campaigns for justice after the killing of Glasgow schoolboy Imran Khan. Together with human rights campaigner, Robina Qureshi, Anwar also campaigned on behalf of the family of murdered Indian waiter Surjit Singh Chhokhar. He also served on the Lawrence Steering Group.

Anwar is noted for his left-wing political views and his support for the Solidarity, Stop the War Coalition [http://www.williambowles.info/guests/2005/letter_muslims.html] and the campaigns against the 31st G8 summit and Dungavel Detention Centre for failed Asylum seekers. He was noted in particular for his controversial remarks in the aftermath of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack, in which he claimed that 'a stealth bomber in Iraq is the moral equivalent of a suicide bomber in Scotland', and also that notions of Multiculturalism had failed in Scotland as elsewhere in the UK due to widespread rejection of elements of British Popular culture amongst young people within the Muslim community [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6282636.stm] .

A court case involving his wife, Ifet Anwar, who was allegedly the victim of a racially-motivated Road rage incident, was thrown out by Glasgow Sheriff Court, citing a lack of credibility [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7182158.stm] .

He is presently representing Tommy Sheridan in connection with serious allegations of perjury as a result of the Sheridan v News International case.

He is facing allegations of contempt of court in the light of a complaint by the presiding Judge in the case, Lord Carloway, because of his disparaging remarks about the Jury after the trial and conviction of Mohammed Siddique in the High Court of Justiciary. A court hearing has been fixed for April 2008. He was found not guilty of contempt, however, Lord Osborne said the statements from the lawyer "embody angry and petulant criticism of the outcome of the trial process and a range of political comments concerning the position of Muslims in our society", adding that he expected better of a lawyer.

In 2008 he was runner-up in the election for Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow, losing the position to Charles Kennedy. [cite web |url=http://www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_68563_en.html |title=Rectorial Election result |accessdate=2008-02-27 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/historic/equal/reports-01/chhokar-vol01-00.htm Chhokar Family Liaison Arrangements Report]
* [http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/CAR2510.html Note by Lord Carloway concerning possible contempt]
* [http://www.sacc.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=438&catid=29&Itemid=53 Open Letter in his Defence]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7080649.stm BBC report]
* [http://www.sundayherald.com/search/display.var.2228423.0.me_and_my_big_mouth.php article] on his case in "Sunday Herald"