For most of us, when a judge was gunned down in Iraq, it was just another grim item on the news. But for one University of Nottingham student, it was personal.

The man - a senior Iraqi judge - was studying human rights law at the university when he heard his close friend had been killed by insurgents. He paid the ultimate price for being on the tribunal trying Saddam Hussein.

The judge is one of 16 Iraqis who have come to Nottingham on a Chevening Scholarship to learn new ideas to rebuild the Iraqi legal system. The government officials, judges, prison officers, human rights workers and lawyers have been studying in Nottingham since January. Half those on the course, including the judge, are from Baghdad and Basra, both areas afflicted by terrible violence.

They were too scared to talk to the Evening Post, because their lives could be at risk if it becomes known they have studied in England. But the other Iraqis are Kurds, from the more peaceful and pro-Western north of the country, and were keen to talk. "Human rights are new to Iraqis and no Iraqis understood it until now," said Saywan Afrasiab, 44, a women's rights campaigner. "Under Saddam we had no rights to speak of."

The Kurds felt their region - which won its freedom from Saddam in 1991 - has a better chance of achieving the rights we in Britain take for granted. "Political reluctance is the biggest obstacle," said Hazhar Taha, 23, a government official. "The Iraqi politicians are unwilling to implement human rights and the people are not aware of what they should demand from the government."

Amanj Mohammed, 26, who works for a non-government organisation (NGO), said: "We have begun the work of creating a civil society." None said they were afraid of being killed on their return home in April, but they had asked the Foreign Office to fly them straight to Kurdistan. "If we go via Baghdad the terrorists will kill us," said academic Rizgar Kadir, 34.

The course is being run by Professor David Harris, of the University of Nottingham's Human Rights Law Centre. He said: "The intention is to introduce Iraqis to a way of thinking that offers protection for individuals against abuse of power by government.

"This is an idea that Iraqis have not been familiar with for a generation or more. The course focuses on the position of women in society, Islam and human rights, terrorism and human rights, torture of prisoners, and the trial of Saddam Hussain."

Some course members may be involved in the drafting process for the Bill of Rights in the course of their work. The course includes visits to Nottingham's courts of law, Nottingham Prison and the Nottingham Refugee Forum.

Nottingham human rights and immigration law specialists Paragon Law Solicitors have given a seminar to the Iraqi students. Thalej Vasishta of Paragon Law Solicitors said: "The development of Human Rights Law in Iraq will by key as the country moves towards being a democratic state. For this to be policed by lawyers trained in Nottingham is fantastic for the city."

Article by Sean Kenny, The Nottingham Evening Post

Reproduced with permission of The Nottingham Evening Post

Nottingham Evening Post  20-May-2005

Paragon Law proudly hosted, with the University of Nottingham, the first of our annual Paragon Human Rights Lectures which will be held each year to celebrate Human Rights Day on 10th December. We were delighted that the inaugural lecture was presented by Irene Khan, Secretary General of the largest NGO in the field of Human Rights, the Nobel Prize winning Amnesty International.

The event entitled “Why Human Rights Matter” took place on 9th December 2005 in the auspicious surroundings of the Galleries of Justice. To see a video of the lecture please click here

To view a photo gallery of the event including pictures of Irene Khan speaking to Paragon’s legal team and the University’s Human Rights students please click here

In October 2005, Kirin Abbas of Paragon Law was invited to attend a meeting with Andy Burnham MP – Undersecretary of State for the Home Department, with a view to looking at all aspects of the way in which asylum seekers are treated in this country. Also present at this meeting were representatives of the Legal Services Commission, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, National Asylum Support Service and the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum. To view a copy of the speech delivered by Kirin, please click here

On 28th September 2005, Paragon Law sponsored a breakfast briefing for local business leaders at the National Space Centre in Leicester. The guest of honour on the day was Sir Michael Arthur KCMG, British High Commissioner to India, who addressed the guests on India and the UK’s business relationship both current and future. To see a copy of Sir Michael’s speech please click here

and to see the response from Thalej Vasishta, please click here

As part of our close links with local education establishments Paragon Law has, for the past two years, sponsored the International Student of the Year Awards at New College NottinghamThe overall 1st prize-winner Mingming Li, received a certificate and £125.00. Mingming Li wrote about living in Nottingham:

“When I first arrived in Nottingham, I was full of nervousness and afraid in my heart. I knew nothing about this place; I thought I was a useless person. Even if you asked me to catch a bus to the city centre, I wouldn’t have had the foggiest idea how. The reason was that I was so afraid of this new city. My listening of English was very poor at that time and I couldn’t even understand what the bus driver said. Compared with the days when I’d just arrived here, my English has improved a lot, and my life has changed as well.... Things are completely different now - I feel confident to talk to people, even while I am waiting for the bus at the bus stop."

Paragon Law has previously sponsored the Bang! Short Film Festival which takes place at the Broadway Cinema in Hockley Village. The festival is a showcase event for up and coming film-writers, directors and actors and offers them an opportunity to put across their experiences. Most notably, Paragon Law’s Kirin Abbas was interviewed as part of a documentary made by local asylum seekers entitled “Asylum Seekers – Through The Headlines” which focused on the media coverage and public perception of asylum seekers in the area. Further details of the Bang! Short Film Festival can be found at www.bangshortfilmfestival.com

"In April 2005 Paragon Law sponsored an International Evening at Portland College on behalf of Rotary International to raise money for a village health post in Nepal, and to alleviate suffering in some of the poorer countries of Africa. A gourmet international menu prepared by the award winning catering staff of the college was accompanied by the exquisite dancing of the internationally acclaimed Nusantara company, which donated their services for the occasion. The evening was an outstanding success and raised well over £2,000 for the various charities."

Professor Chris O’Brien OBE – Board of Governors at Portland College

Relationships between Nottingham and Malaysia were strengthened with the visit of the Chief Justice Of Malaysia, the Rt. Hon. Yang Amat Arif Tun Dato Sri Ahmad Fairuz Bin Dato’ Sheikh Abdul Hali.

In Nov 2006, he led a week long delegation of Malaysian judges and senior officials to the United Kingdom as guests of the University of Nottingham. The chief justice also gave a lecture which was open to the public on “Shariah Law in a civil law system” with special reference to banking and finance.

During their stay the Chief Justice and his delegation had extensive meetings with the School of Law at the University of Nottingham and the delegation also met members of Nottingham legal organizations including representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service, the Crown Court and the Magistracy.

A lunch in their honour was hosted at the Galleries of Justice by the Nottinghamshire Law Society and Paragon Law. Nottinghamshire Law Society council member and managing director of Paragon Law, Thalej Vasishta, said “The Law Society and Paragon Law were honoured to host the Chief Justice. It is important for both organizations to build relationships intentionally and it was particularly fascinating to hear Chief Justice talk of his experiences of the relationships and conflicts between Shariah law and Civil law in Malaysia. The delegation was also very interested to hear Nottingham lawyers experience of the Woolf reforms.”

After leaving Nottingham the Chief Justice and his delegation traveled to London where they met the current Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips and his predecessor, Lord Woolf.

In March 2007, the Chief Justice of Malaysia will be inaugurating the new civil court house in Malaysia which will consist of 75 fully functioning courts. Members of the Nottingham business community have been invited to the opening.