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NEWS
04 Jan 2012

"Institutional racism still at the heart of our system" says Chokhar lawyer

The two guilty verdicts announced yesterday in the cases of the the men charged with the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 highlights the ongoing "betrayal of justice" in the case of Surjit Singh Chokhar, the Chokhar family's solicitor Aamer Anwar said last night.

Mr Chhokar was killed in 1998. Following two separate trials no one was convicted of the offence, leading to a judicial inquiry which found failings in the Crown Office’s handling of the case. Former Lord Advocate Colin Boyd, QC apologised for “incompetence, ignorance and institutional racism".



The Lawrence cases were brought under the two trials law, which in part was passed due to the perceived failings exposed by the case. Last night Anwar, who in December wrote to the Lord Advocate proposing a "double jeapardy" retrial in the case, criticised successive Scottish Governments for ignoring the legacy of the Chokhar family

"The tremendous verdict in the Lawrence case highlights the betrayal of justice for the Chokars," he said.

"The fact is that there have been three different administrations, yet not one memorial, not one occasion any First Minister has remembered an anniversary or a Lord Advocate mentioned Surjit's name. The only time they did was when we had to campaign, but ten years later abject silence speaks volumes of the institutional racism still at the heart of our system whch instead of honouring the legacy of the Chhokar family ignores it"

The Firm has contacted the Lord Advocate's office to request their input to this story, and to inquire if a response has been issued to Anwar's call for a double jeapardy retrial. It has declined to respond and maintains a boycott of The Firm.

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The Editor of The Firm, Steven Raeburn, appeared on BBC Radio Scotland to discuss this issue this morning. The programme can be heard here and the segment begins at 42:00 minutes.


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