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Aamer Anwar

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Aamer Anwar
Aamer Anwar in September 2018
Personal details
Born (1967-12-30) 30 December 1967 (age 56)
Manchester, England
Political partyScottish National Party (since 2015)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (until 2015)
Children1 son, 2 daughters[1]
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
University of Strathclyde
University of Liverpool
OccupationLawyer

Aamer Anwar (born 30 December 1967) is a British political activist[2] and lawyer of Pakistani origin. He was an active participant in the Stop the War Coalition, and campaigned against the 31st G8 summit at Gleneagles.[3][4] He has been a longstanding critic of the Dungavel Detention Centre for failed asylum seekers,[5] and is a trustee of the Time for Inclusive Education charity for LGBT-inclusive education in Scottish schools.[6]

Early life

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Anwar was born in Manchester, England to Pakistani parents on 30 December 1967 and lived in Liverpool before moving to Glasgow, Scotland, in 1986 to study mechanical engineering at the University of Glasgow to join the Royal Air Force.[7][1] He became a student activist and led a campaign against alleged racism at the city's Dental Hospital, which helped introduce anonymous marking across all faculties at the university.[8]

He left engineering to study sociology and politics and was still a student when he was arrested by police officers for illegally flyposting on Ashton Lane in 1991. During Anwar's arrest, he was pushed to the ground, and he took civil action against Strathclyde Police. In 1995, Sheriff Evans found that one officer had assaulted Anwar and that it appeared to be a racially motivated attack. Anwar was awarded £4,200 in compensation and the policeman was temporarily suspended. Anwar, however, found himself criticised by the ruling sheriff in regards to the release of "bloated confrontational material" surrounding the case, with the sheriff stating that the allegations of racism did not influence his findings.[9] He became a solicitor in 2000, initially as part of a Glasgow-based partnership, before founding Aamer Anwar & Co, Solicitors & Notaries in 2006.[10] He has a teenage son and two daughters.[1]

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Surjit Singh Chhokar

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Anwar came to prominence campaigning on behalf of the family of Surjit Singh Chhokar, a waiter who was murdered in November 1998 in Overtown, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The case had some parallels to the murder of Stephen Lawrence in England, which led to a radical overhaul of the criminal justice system and several inquiries. The inquiries were boycotted by the Chhokar family as they were not public, and were considered by the family to be a "whitewash". The Jandoo Inquiry, which the family boycotted and refused to give evidence to, heavily criticised Anwar and said he took on too many roles and also took liberties in interpreting for the family.[11] In the latter case, Anwar led the campaign on behalf of the Chhokar family. He also served on the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group, set up in 2000.[12][13]

Anwar representing a family on an appeals case at the High Court of Justiciary, 2009

In 2012, following the reform of the double jeopardy law, he approached the Lord Advocate on behalf of the Chhokar family to request that the case be reopened and reinvestigated. On 2 May 2014, Anwar and the Chhokar family met with the Lord Advocate, who confirmed that the following reinvestigation by Police Scotland the Crown was seeking to have the original acquittals of three men set aside in an application to the Appeal Court for a retrial over the murder of Chhokar.[14]

In October 2016, Ronnie Coulter was found guilty of the murder of Chhokar.[15] Following the conviction, Police Scotland and the Lord Advocate acknowledged the role of campaigning by the Chhokar family and Anwar.[16]

Following the sentencing of Ronnie Coulter to a life sentence, a Crown Office spokesman said:

The sentencing today for the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar has finally delivered justice for the Chhokar family. The family has shown great courage and dignity throughout their long wait to see if someone is jailed for his killing. The family along with Aamer Anwar, campaigned tirelessly for improvements in the way allegations of racial crimes were dealt with and the justice system has transformed how it deals with racial crimes as a result.[17]

"TC" Campbell

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In 2004 Anwar was the solicitor for "TC" Campbell and successfully appealed to have Campbell's murder conviction overturned. Campbell had spent 20 years in jail for the arson and murder of a family, an incident that had been part of the Glasgow Ice Cream Wars.[18]

Tommy Sheridan

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In 2010 Anwar acted as solicitor for Tommy Sheridan in HM Advocate v Sheridan and Sheridan. Sheridan sacked Anwar after a dispute between the two men over Anwar's refusal to stop writing a column for a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch.[19]

In July 2011, Anwar presented a dossier along with Tom Watson to Strathclyde Police into alleged criminality at the News of the World, allegations of phone hacking and data breaches, and police corruption as part of the wider News International phone hacking scandal. The dossier led to a full-scale police inquiry by Strathclyde Police termed Operation Rubicon and the subsequent arrest of Andy Coulson and Bob Bird, Scottish editor of News of the World.[20]

Other

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Anwar meeting with the first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, at Bute House, 2014

On 2 October 2012, Anwar gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee arguing against allowing cameras in criminal trials.[21] On 5 June 2014, it was announced that Anwar had lodged an appeal on behalf of the family of Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 over Lockerbie. Al-Megrahi died from cancer following his compassionate release from prison while an application was being lodged with the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, who sought to review his case and return it to the appeal court as a "miscarriage of justice". Anwar was also instructed by 24 British relatives of passengers who died on the flight, including Jim Swire.[22]

In September 2014, Anwar represented the family of Jihadi bride Aqsa Mahmood, a 20-year-old woman from Glasgow who travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[23] In 2017 he was instructed by the family of Sheku Bayoh. The family met the Lord Advocate, believing that PIRC's investigation had been fundamentally flawed.[24]

In February 2017, Anwar represented the family of murder victim Emma Caldwell.[25] He also represented two Scottish National Party MPs: Michelle Thomson[26] and Natalie McGarry.[27]

In 2021, Anwar represented Rangers F.C. player Glen Kamara, who claimed that he suffered from racial abuse by Slavia Prague player Ondrej Kudela in a Europa League Last-16 2nd leg game at Ibrox Stadium in March 2021.[1] He was subjected to an increase in abuse and death threats following Kudela's ten-match ban.[28]

Rector of the University of Glasgow

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Anwar speaking to a pro-independence rally in Catalonia, 2018

In 2008, Anwar was runner-up in the election for Rector of the University of Glasgow and lost to Charles Kennedy.[29] Edward Snowden[30] followed Kennedy for a three-year term of office which finished in 2017, when Anwar was re-nominated for the role.[31] On 21 March he was announced as having been elected by the students with over 54% of the vote (4,458). All the candidates were eliminated in the first round due to the "landslide" result in Anwar's favour.[32] He took office on 31 March 2017[33] and was installed at a ceremony on 19 April 2017.[34] The Times Scottish edition reported in June 2018 that Anwar had failed to hold a single surgery for the first 11 months of his rectorship, which was supported by Glasgow University.[35]

Anwar has been criticised for publicly accusing the university of showing "callous disregard" for students and staff, treating international students as "cash cows" and claiming to have uncovered serious cases of racism and sexual harassment. However, officials at the university insisted that when they asked for specific details so they could launch investigations, none were provided.[35] A report issued in 2021 detailed hundreds of incidents of racial abuse at the university.[36]

Controversies

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Anwar made controversial statements in the aftermath of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack, in which he claimed "[t]hat there is no difference between a stealth bomber and a suicide bomber, the effects are still the same." In further remarks, he argued that there was a moral equivalence between the 9/11 hijackers and the United States when they bomb innocent civilians.[37]

On 9 January 2008, Sheriff Charlotte Coutts described Anwar's evidence as "not credible" during a trial in which he claimed to be the victim of racial abuse.[38] In 2008, he faced allegations of contempt of court in light of a complaint by the presiding judge in the case, Colin Sutherland, after Anwar directly attacked the jury following the trial and conviction of Mohammed Siddique in the High Court of Justiciary. Sutherland accused Anwar of making unprofessional, defamatory, and factually inaccurate attacks on the judiciary, the jury, and the wider legal process, stating that Anwar was "hiding behind the cloak of his client" to make politically motivated attacks on anti-terrorism legislation.[39] Anwar was the first lawyer in the UK to be put on trial for contempt of court for comments he made on behalf of his client at the end of a trial. Iain Banks joined Labour politician Tony Benn, George Galloway, Bashir Maan, Gareth Peirce, and others to argue that such a prosecution was detrimental to free speech.[40]

While finding Anwar's comments to be "misleading", Kenneth Osborne did not find him in contempt of court, but strongly criticised Anwar's behaviour, stating that statements from the lawyer were politically motivated and largely consisted of "angry and petulant criticism".[41]

Following a full investigation by Law Scotland, Anwar was cleared of all charges of misconduct. In January 2010, he was successful in having one of Siddique's convictions overturned at the Court of Appeal; as a result Siddique was freed from prison but remains a convicted terrorist.[42]

Awards

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Anwar was named Solicitor of the Year in the Herald's Law Awards of Scotland 2018. He was also named "Lawyer of the Year" at the fourteenth Scottish Legal Awards in March 2017,[43][44] and "Solicitor of the Year" in the Herald's Law Awards of Scotland in November 2016.[45] His firm picked up "Criminal Law Firm of the Year" at the Law Awards of Scotland in 2006 and 2014.[46][47][48]

At the Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards in 2007, he received the Professional Excellence Award as a "recognition of his outstanding achievements and the huge impact his work has had UK wide".[49] In December 2007 the law magazine The Firm placed him ninth in a feature of top 100 most powerful and influential people in the Scottish justice system and legal profession.[50] In January 2013, he was nominated for the Services to Law award at the British Muslim Awards.[51] In 2014 he was awarded the Scottish Muslim Award—Al Adl Ihsan for Public Services.[52]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Rhodes, Mandy (13 May 2021). "The fight against racism goes on: interview with leading human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar". Holyrood Website. Merrit Group plc. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Aamer Anwar 'not standing for SNP in 2015'". Scotsman. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Aamer Anwar case - judgement awaited". Scotland Against Criminalising Communities. 28 April 2008.
  4. ^ "G8 summit protest cases dropped". 26 September 2005. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  5. ^ Martin, Lorna (25 July 2004). "Anger at asylum suicide". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Top Lawyer Calls on Scottish Government To Tackle Homophobic Bullying in Schools". Heart. Press Association. 7 December 2016. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  7. ^ Laing, Gordon (1 July 2004). "In self defence". The Firm Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  8. ^ "University of Glasgow - Explore - Facts and figures - Who's who - Aamer Anwar". www.gla.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Policeman suspended after race bias ruling". The Independent. 22 September 1995. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Glasgow Lawyers". www.glasgow-lawyer.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Outside edge He may be the poster boy for the civil rights movement, but is there more to the lawyer Aamer Anwar than a handsome face and a lot of attitudes?". 15 March 2003. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Wallace 'slow to act' over racism". BBC News. BBC. 26 June 2000.
  13. ^ Watson, Craig (12 May 2001). "Researchers admit flaws in race study". The Herald. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  14. ^ "Chhokar murder: Crown wants to retry three men acquitted of killing". BBC News. BBC. 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 August 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  15. ^ "A good day for justice". The Herald. 7 October 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  16. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (6 October 2016). "Justice at last: Ronnie Coulter found guilty of Surjit Singh Chhokar murder after family's 17-year fight". Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  17. ^ Ward, Paul (31 October 2016). "A man has been jailed for life for a murder he was cleared of 18 years ago". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Ice Cream Wars pair win freedom". BBC News. BBC. 17 March 2004. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  19. ^ Whitaker, Andrew (4 April 2012). "Tommy Sheridan fires Aamer Anwar over link to Murdoch". The Scotsman.
  20. ^ Cusick, James; Milmo, Cahal (26 August 2011). "More than 120 police investigate Murdoch empire's operations". The Independent. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  21. ^ "Official Report: Justice Committee: Tuesday 2 October 2012". Scottish Parliament. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  22. ^ Harrison, Jody (5 June 2014). "Megrahi family back new bid to clear his name". Herald Scotland. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  23. ^ "Parents of IS-linked Aqsa Mahmood feel 'betrayed'". BBC News. 5 September 2014. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  24. ^ "Probe into Sheku Bayoh's death 'was fundamentally flawed'". STV News. 8 February 2017. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  25. ^ "Family appeal to killer in 2005 murder of Emma Caldwell". BBC News. 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  26. ^ "Election Unspun: Michelle Thomson swaps lawyers and the indycamp get new neighbours". Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  27. ^ "Face to Face: Aamer Anwar on finding God, racism, politics and jealous rivals he can't trust". Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  28. ^ Dingwall, John (20 April 2021). "Glen Kamara and his lawyer sent death threats by racist Slavia Prague fans". Daily Record. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  29. ^ "Rectorial Election result" (Press release). University of Glasgow. February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  30. ^ "Snowden installed as uni rector". 23 April 2014. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  31. ^ Harrison, Jody (1 March 2017). "Aamer Anwar to run for Glasgow University rector position". The Herald. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  32. ^ "Solicitor Aamer Anwar elected rector of Glasgow University after seeing off challenge from controversial US journalist Milo Yiannopoulos". The Herald. 21 March 2017. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  33. ^ "University of Glasgow students elect a new Rector" (Press release). University of Glasgow. 21 March 2017. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  34. ^ "Aamer Anwar installed as University of Glasgow". The Herald. 20 April 2017. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  35. ^ a b Sanderson, Daniel (26 June 2018). "Glasgow Rector Aaamer Anwar's broken promises". The Times. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  36. ^ Haugh, Jack (17 February 2021). "Glasgow University labelled 'institutionally racist' by former rector Aamer Anwar". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  37. ^ Stewart, Stephen (9 July 2007). "Terror debate raises stark views". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 August 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
  38. ^ "Race claim lawyer 'not credible'". 10 January 2008.
  39. ^ "Contempt hearing on terror case". BBC News. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  40. ^ "Treatment of terror trial lawyer 'is an attack on freedom of speech'". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 7 November 2007. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  41. ^ "Aamer Anwar: Terror lawyer "not guilty of contempt"". 1 July 2008.
  42. ^ "Mohammed Atif Siddique has terror conviction quashed". 10 January 2008.
  43. ^ "Campaigning solicitor wins top prize". The Times. 31 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  44. ^ "Clyde & Co, Anwar and McCluskey lead 2017 Scottish Legal Awards". The Journal. Law Society of Scotland. 31 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  45. ^ "In pictures: Scotland's legal industry celebrated at awards night in Glasgow". The Herald. 25 November 2016. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  46. ^ Rogerson, Paul (18 September 2006). "The winner is Harper Macleod Firm scoops coveted gong at Law Awards 2006". The Herald. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  47. ^ "Criminal Law Firm of the Year, 2014". Law Awards of Scotland. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  48. ^ Cameron, Greig (24 July 2014). "Diverse range of firms and individuals are through to the finals of law awards". The Herald. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  49. ^ "Lloyds TSB Northern Jewels Crowned". Skiddle.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  50. ^ "Scotland's Legal Who's Who". The Firm Magazine. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  51. ^ "Winners honoured at British Muslim Awards". Asian Image. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  52. ^ "Scottish Muslim Awards". Facebook.
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