A 'Crushing Blow' For Protest Rights? Counter Terror and Practice Panel

Counter-Terror Law & Practice Panel:

Our expert speakers will present on a topic which has brought much contemporary debate concerning executive overreach and the abuse of anti-terror laws to stifle legitimate political and social protest, such as in the recent ‘Stansted 15’ case, peaceful anti-fracking protesters being labelled as ‘domestic extremists’ by the authorities, the secret policing of political protest movements uncovered by the undercover policing inquiry, and personal data of protesters being stored on the “Extremism Database” as highlighted in the recent ECtHR decision of Catt v UK.

Given this backdrop, the objective of the panel event will be to discuss key questions surrounding the law on counterterrorism and the extent of its infringement on the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest.

The event will conclude with a Q&A session with the audience, followed by drinks and nibbles kindly provided by UCL CAJ.

Sign-up for you free ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/counter-terror-law-and-practice-a-crushing-blow-for-protest-rights-tickets-56347380532

Current speakers include:
- Professor Rodney Austin, Senior Teaching Fellow, UCL Laws - UCL’s own Rodney Austin has an interest in human rights, terrorism, and torture, and is the author of ‘The New Constitutionalism, Terrorism and Torture’ in Current Legal Problems 2007, vol 60. He has also published numerous pieces on human rights, the constitution, and freedom of information.

- Raj Chada, Partner, Hodge, Jones and Allen - Raj is currently acting as a solicitor for the Stansted 15, and generally specialises in criminal law and his practice covers niche areas in relation to public order, serious crime, terrorism, fraud, regulatory, money laundering and bribery. He has previously worked for Amnesty International and was also Leader of Camden Council and a Non Executive Director of Royal Free Hospital. You can also find him on the BBC, Channel 4, Sky News, the Guardian and the Times newspapers, as a regular commentator.

- Kirsty Brimelow QC, Doughty Street Chambers - Kirsty specialises in international human rights, criminal law, public international, constitutional and international criminal law. She has instructed in the most serious, complex, and prominent cases nationally and internationally. Kirsty is an experienced trial barrister. She has defended defendants and acted for claimants as a junior and then as QC before countless courts (both in England and Wales, and internationally), including the European Court of Human Rights. Kirsty frequently advises international courts, including: the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the ECOWAS court in Abuja Nigeria, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, the Superior Tribunal of Santander Colombia, the Supreme Court and Constitutional Courts of Colombia, the UN judicial processes and International Criminal Court.

- Hossein Zahir, Barrister, Garden Court - Hossein specialises in criminal defence work and has a particular interest in terrorism and public order and protest cases. He has also represented defendants charged with murder, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering and other serious crimes.

- Tayab Ali, Solicitor-Advocate, ITN Solicitors - Tayab heads the firm’s diplomatic, political and international law department; and many of his cases are multi-jurisdictional or involve linked civil and criminal proceedings. He is one of the country’s leading authorities on counter-terrorism law, having acted in numerous high profile prosecutions over the last decade. Tayab was shorlisted as Human Rights Lawyer of the Year in the Law Society’s Excellence Awards and nominated as Criminal Defence Lawyer of the Year in the Society of Asian Lawyer Awards in 2017.

- Saimo Chahal QC (Hon), Partner and Joint Head of Public Law and Human Rights Team at Bindmans - Saimo sits as a fee paid Judge of the Mental Health Tribunal and also in the Court of Protection. She specialises in International cases, application to the ECtHR and domestic human rights and civil liberties cases in a wide range of areas, including Inquiries & Inquests, Terrorism Act cases, Administrative and Public law, Mental health law, Healthcare. Saimo is widely acclaimed for the excellence of her legal work and has had numerous successes in high profile cases at the cutting edge of the law. Many cases have set precedents and changed the law.