Saul Lehrfreund, Co-Executive Director
Saul specialises in constitutional and international human rights law and has represented prisoners under sentence of death before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
WHO WE ARE The Death Penalty Project (DPP) began in 1992 when Saul Lehrfreund joined law firm Simons Muirhead & Burton to work specifically on death row cases with the late Bernard Simons. Parvais Jabbar joined soon afterwards and the two young lawyers committed themselves to providing free legal assistance to anyone under sentence of death who needed help, wherever they were in the world. As the pair began taking on an increasing number of clients and winning landmark cases, the work gathered momentum and scores of barristers and doctors agreed to work with them on a pro bono basis.
Originally housed in a leaky loft in Marshall Street, Soho, and funded in the 1990s mainly by Simons Muirhead & Burton (SMAB) and small grants, the DPP’s caseload continued to increase and the work spread from Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean into many more countries and jurisdictions. In 1995, The Death Penalty Project won the category of “Best pro bono activity” at the UK Lawyer Awards. In 1999, Saul and Parvais were joint winners of The Times/Justice Young Lawyer of the Year award.
In 2006, The Death Penalty Project Limited was formed with its sister charity, The Death Penalty Project Charitable Trust. The charitable status has enabled the DPP to apply for grants from a diverse range of funders and it is now supported by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, as well as a number of charitable foundations. Essential to their survival is the continued support of SMAB, which provides offices for the DPP and covers many of its other administrative costs. ➤
Saul has written and lectured extensively on capital punishment and human rights. In 2000 he was awarded an MBE for services to international human rights and in July 2009 he received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Law from the University of Reading and was invited to join The Times Law Panel.
Parvais Jabbar, Co-Executive Director Parvais specialises in constitutional and international human rights law in relation to the death penalty. He has represented prisoners under sentence of death before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Parvais is a founder member of the Pro Bono Panel of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office providing assistance to prisoners facing the death penalty. In 2008 he received the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year award from the Society of Asian Lawyers.
Anthony Burton, Chair Anthony Burton of Simons Muirhead & Burton has been involved with the Death Penalty Project since its inception.
A leading authority on domestic and international criminal law, Anthony has a wealth of high-profile court experience and sits as a Recorder of the Crown Court. He is Chairman of the Board of the Royal Court Theatre and a regular writer and broadcaster on legal affairs.
The Death Penalty Project: 2006 – 2011 report 5
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