Quist Human Rights Project in Pakistan

The Quist Human Rights Project in Pakistan (QHRP) aims to establish a local Islamabad-based pro bono unit offering free legal representation to individuals facing the death penalty and women in detention.

Project objectives and activities

Quist hopes to bring a small number of hand picked newly qualified Pakistani lawyers to the UK to train alongside Quist Solicitor’s team in London with a view to establishing a permanent British and Pakistani partnership in Islamabad.

During a 3 to 6 month work placement the trainees will be provided with:

· Where necessary, preliminary English language courses;

· Active work experience at Quist Solicitor’s office;

· Mini-pupillages at leading human rights chambers (with whom we have long standing relationships);

· Exposure to the workings of parliament and parliamentarians; and,

· Meetings and discussions with leading international human rights organisations.

The trainees will then return to Pakistan and work in the Quist office in Islamabad, through which Quist Solicitors will continue to provide close guidance, mentoring and training.

· Quist working with candidates to prepare and submit amicus curiae briefs and legal opinions in strategically selected cases;

· Supporting candidates to act as third party trial observers and initiating strategic legal claims;

· Reviewing current and historic death penalty cases to prepare a catalogue of miscarriages of justice on order to promote the reinstatement of the moratorium on executions;

· Preparing (with local Pakistani law students) presentations and workshops to be provided at law schools around Pakistan in order to garner grass roots support for a moratorium on executions;

· Where appropriate including the participation of other NGOs, media outlets, charities and corporate organisations to assist with training and publicity for our cases;

· Including the participation of lawyers and other individuals from law firms in Dubai, Oman, Dubai, Nigeria and the USA with whom Quist has close working relationships.

The Quist office will also provide support to other established organisations in Pakistan which assist those facing the death penalty. Clearly, the office does not offer representation to individuals facing charges related to terrorist offences.

Pakistani migrant workers

Quist is also contributing to the Justice Project Pakistan in its campaign to assist Pakistani migrants who face the death penalty in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia has beheaded 35 Pakistani migrant workers since December 2014. There are numerous more across the Middle East who face the death penalty as a result of sentences based on torture induced confessions, no consular assistance and trials at which court appointed defence counsel (who did not speak the Urdu) failed to submit any case in their defence. QHRP hopes to ensure closer diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Gulf governments in order to ensure dialogue is opened regarding these cases and the requisite legal assistance provided.

Quist Solicitors is a London-based law firm with 24 years’ experience of advising individuals, businesses and institutions going through the demanding and stressful experience of litigation. One of the firm’s major activities is in the field of human rights protection internationally.

Amount requested (in Euros): €115,000

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