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Defend Aamer Anwar

Glasgow-based human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar is facing contempt of court charges as a result of a statement he made on behalf of his client, Mohammed Atif Siddique, who was convicted in September of "terrorism" offences connected with activities on the internet. The case was heard at the High Court of Judiciary in Edinburgh on Tuesday 29 April.

Judgement will be given at 10am Tuesday 1 July in Edinburgh High Court
Please come along to show your support for Aamer Anwar. Try to arrive at 9.30am if possible.

Read the statement issued by Aamer Anwar after the conviction of Mohammed Atif Siddique.

We think that these proceedings threaten freedom of expression and threaten the ability of lawyers to represent their clients properly.

  • Lawyers, public figures, community leaders and concerned citizens have put their names to an open letter supporting Aamer Anwar. The letter was first published on the letters page of The Herald newspaper on 8 November 2007. It was republished on 27 April 2008 as an advertisement in the Sunday Herald, with names of additional signatories and with personal comments from some of them. The advertisement was funded by supporters of the Defend Aamer Anwar campaign.The letter is still open for signatures and new support is coming in every day.
  • The Muslim organisations of all the Glasgow mosques have formed a Muslim Action Committee to support Aamer Anwar -see Mosques support Aamer Anwar.
  • Activists from all communities have been getting together regularly at meetings hosted by Glasgow Stop The War Coalition to discuss ways of supporting Aamer Anwar.
  • Margo MacDonald MSP (Independent) tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament expressing concern about the case. But officers of the Parliament have closed the motion to new signatures, saying that Parliamentary rules prohibit MSPs from signing it now that proceedings have begun. We think that this is a very strict interpretation of the rules. But MSPs and others are still free to sign the Open Letter in support of Aamer Anwar.
  • The Scottish legal magazine The Firm covered the case in its December edition 2007. The Firm is urging readers to write directly to Richard Henderson, the President of the Law Society of Scotland, informing him of their views on Anwar's referral for contempt of court, whether they support the action, or oppose it.
  • Glasgow University Branch of the UCU (University and College Union) has given its support to Aamer Anwar - see University staff support Aamer Anwar

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