International Human Rights

Annahita’s developing casework involves issues of human rights, arbitrary detention, diplomatic protection and UN mechanisms including complaints before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. She works with domestic and international NGOs, affected families and lawyers in different jurisdictions; liaises with government agencies and political offices; and has media experience. She is particularly interested in dual national, hostage-taking, enforced disappearances and death penalty cases.

International Criminal Law

Annahita has worked on cases as a research assistant involving universal jurisdiction prosecutions and governments’ rights before the International Criminal Court. Before joining the Bar, she volunteered with the AIRE Centre where she researched human rights violations in the Western Balkans region. She welcomes opportunities to assist legal teams at international tribunals and the ICC.

Civil Liberties

Annahita is interested in inquests and actions against the police. She gained a direct insight into state custody through regularly visiting Immigration Removal Centres as a former BID volunteer and having unrestricted access to Feltham YOI as a former member of an Independent Monitoring Board. At Harrow Law Centre, she makes police complaints in cases involving discrimination and breaches of the Victims’ Code.

Separate Work

Annahita leads Harrow Law Centre’s Victims of Crime Project. Her key responsibilities include improving access to justice for survivors of hate crime and exploitation, making police complaints and doing policy based research.

Annahita is an editor at Red Pepper. She commissions and edits articles on human rights abuses in the UK and abroad. She trained as a journalist at the BBC’s World Service (Future Voices, 2019).

Seminars

Speaker: ‘Activist Lawyers in a Changing World: Criminalisation of Young Victims’, Law Centres Network Annual Conference (2020)

Trainer: ‘Indicators of Sexual Exploitation of Children and Young People’, IGNITE (2020)

Trainer: ‘Police Powers’, Harrow Law Centre and NOMAD, The Arc (2020)

Trainer: ‘Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Indicators and Police Duties’, Romanian and Eastern European Network via Harrow Law Centre, Webinar (2020)

Trainer: ‘Criminal Exploitation of Youths: Police Duties’, Harrow Law Centre, Webinar (2020)

Trainer: ‘Improving access to justice for victims of exploitation II’, Law Centres via Harrow Law Centre, Webinar (2020)

Trainer: ‘Improving access to justice for victims of exploitation I’, Law Centres via Harrow Law Centre, Webinar (2020)

Trainer: ‘Police Powers’, Harrow Law Centre, Webinar (2020)

Speaker: ‘Social Mobility at the Criminal Bar’, Criminal Bar Association, Webinar 
(2020)

Speaker: ‘Nice Judge on a Good Day’, Bail for Immigration Detainees, Linklaters LLP (2018)

Trainer: ‘Defending Clients Who May Be Trafficking/Modern Slavery Victims’, Sonn Macmillan Walker (2018)

Speaker: ‘Britain’s Dirty Little Secret – Immigration Detention’, Bail for Immigration Detainees, SOAS (2017)

Trainer: ‘How to Make an Immigration Bail Application’, Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre (2017)

Testimonials

‘I have been an immigration and public law caseworker and solicitor instructing counsel for 9 years. I have worked with all the major chambers in the field … with barristers of all level of experience as well as a number of QCs. It is no exaggeration to say Annahita ranks as one of the very best barristers I have worked with. … Annahita is one of my go to barristers. She possesses the rare mixture of being incredibly friendly and supportive to her clients, while being a tenacious and fearless advocate in the court room. Her knowledge of the law is exemplary and she is always thoroughly prepared. An exceptional barrister. … She has won each of the cases I have given her and two of them in particular were very tricky. She provides very comprehensive and thoughtful attendance notes.’ – Adam Spray, Solicitor 


‘Annahita is a barrister of the highest calibre who will fight for her clients. She expresses empathy and good legal understanding of the issues before her, ensuring a thorough approach to her work and the legal issues that she is dealing with. I highly recommend Annahita as a human rights barrister who will always do her utmost to defend her clients’ best interests and to succeed with their cases.’ – Pierre Makhlouf, Assistant Director 


‘Thank you for your most able defence of the application [and] your outstanding advocacy.’ – Director observing hearing 


‘Annahita provided a high quality client-centric management of my father’s legal case. She demonstrated a degree of empathy towards my father that was even beyond that of my many medical colleagues. She communicated with my father in an easily understandable manner, from which he was able to make informed decisions. Additionally, in the short space of time she spent with my father she developed a rapport that allowed for a trusting client-barrister relationship (this is impressive as generally my father is not a trusting person). Finally, she managed my father’s case with a degree of tenacity and passion that was wonderful to observe.’ – Lay client’s relative

‘I have just had a call from [client]. He stated that they were very pleased with your representation. He said that you were professional throughout, did not raise their expectations, were excellent and that they could not fault you at all.’ – Lay client via Kesar & Co Solicitors 


‘Annahita … conducted herself with the utmost professionalism and confidence. Her manner and in particular her empathy were a great comfort… ‘ – Lay client 


‘I would also like to personally thank you for the extra time and attention which you spent on this matter.’ – Alison Ashworth, Managing Director

‘Great job and well done for persuading the judge after his initial view. … Well done for getting an excellent result.’ – Jason Smith, Legal Executive 


‘[S]he has been extremely competent and tenacious in court, winning great outcomes for my clients.’ – Tom Nunn, Solicitor 


‘Thank you very much for … covering matter at short notice and excellent outcome. Clearly you worked exceptionally hard’ – Teagy Singh Grover, Head of Crime 


‘Fabulous result! The client must have been very happy and relieved. Thank you for achieving such an excellent outcome.’- Thomas Cheam, Solicitor 


‘We have just spoken to client and they were very impressed with the way you fought his case.’ – Lay client via MTG Solicitors 


‘I got a call from [client]. She asked me to thank you again for your fantastic work, as you, in her words, were amazing.’ – Lay client via Bail for Immigration Detainees 


‘Really tricky cases so this is a fantastic result. We have spoken to [clients] who asked me to pass on their thanks, they said you were great.’ – Lay client via Bail for Immigration Detainees