Anwar to face contempt of court charges

Lawyer faces hearing following remarks made after terrorist trial

News, 6 November 2007

Solicitor Aamer Anwar is to answer to contempt of court charges in the High Court in Edinburgh.

The charges relate to remarks he made after his client Mohammed Atif Siddique was found guilty of terrorism charges in September.

In a statement to the press, Mr Anwar said his client had not received a fair trial, that it had taken place in an atmosphere of hostility and that the outcome of the trial was a “tragedy for justice”.

Siddique, 21, was sentenced to eight years in prison on 23 October after having been found guilty of three charges of terrorism.

In a written note, Judge Lord Carloway said the remarks made by Mr Anwar were his personal views and they had attacked every area of the trial process apart from the defence.

The case will now be heard by three judges at the High Court at a date yet to be fixed.

In response, Mr Anwar said the right to freedom of speech was one of the pillars of liberty and justice. At a recent hearing, Mr Anwar’s counsel said the solicitor believed he was expressing the views of his client.

A spokeswoman from the Law Society of Scotland said the Society would study the final outcome of the High Court hearing before making a decision on what action, if any, to take after that decision had been made.

She added that the Law Society’s guidelines on commenting to the media were clearly stated on its website and in the solicitors’ professional handbook.

As Lord Carloway had commented on these, the Society would review the guidelines and any further comments made by the court in its final decision.