UK terrorism lawyers to explain civil rights

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 September 2007, 15:53 GMT]
Leading British terrorism lawyers will Saturday address a public meeting organized by Tamil and other minority community groups in Britain on ‘Anti-Terrorism Legislation, Public Security and Protection of Civil Liberties.’ British Development Minister, Gareth Thomas, will be addressing the event, which members of the public are welcome to participate in, organisationers said. A press note by the Tamil Information Centre (TIC), which is chairing the event, said the meeting will “aim at addressing the fears of the community, and the threat to human rights and civil liberties.”

Gareth Peirce and Azeem Suterwalla, senior terrorism lawyers, are amongst the speakers.

Ms. Peirce has represented defendants in some of Britain’s most well known terrorism trials, including the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six. The BBC, in her profile, says “her name has been synonymous with civil rights cases.”

Amongst the community organizations addressing the event are Solidarity for Peace., Action Group of Tamil Asylum Seekers, Kurdish Federation (UK).

“Speakers will discuss developments in the Tamils’ struggle for right of self determination, terrorism legislation, political asylum, freedom of expression, new practices in ‘crime control’, detention and questioning of suspects, travel restrictions, control orders and developments that have impacted on the social and political life of the community,” the note said.

The press note said the meeting, will be held in the Rayners Lane area from 3pm to 5pm at the Zoroastrian Centre, 440-442 Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow Middlesex HA2 9TL.