Googling Shami Chakrabarti at the moment can be somewhat disheartening, as so many responses focus solely on the recent controversy surrounding her investigation into anti-Semitism in the Labour party and subsequent peerage. This is particularly sad considering the lack of definitive evidence that has come forward to suggest any kind of foul play involved, meaning that these responses are based purely on speculation. It shows how easily the good a person has done can be overlooked, so we decided it was time to shift the focus back to the remarkable things Chakrabarti has done for human rights.
Shami Chakrabarti is a British Labour Party politician and a member of the House of Lords, as well as being the former director of the human rights organisation Liberty. She was born in Harrow, London, and went on to study law at LSE before working as in-house counsel for the Home Office between 1996 and 2001. This time gave her an invaluable insight into the workings of the government system, and an important understanding of the process of legislation development. This is perhaps one of the key reasons she has been so successful in transforming Liberty into a force to be reckoned with, taking on the government on a number of important issues.
Arriving at Liberty the day before the 9/11 attacks in the USA, much of Chakrabarti’s career has been dominated by the fight against extensive anti-terror legislation that has significantly threatened human rights. A key player in a time when public fear gave ‘legitimacy’ to several questionable government policies, Chakrabarti has not always been popular, but has never backed down from being a staunch defender of freedom. Major successes achieved during her time at Liberty include the prevention of the introduction of compulsory ID cards, of plans to extend the time a suspect can be held without charge to 42 days, and the challenge of section 44 of the Terrorism Act that enabled the police to stop and search individuals without suspicion.
Once called ‘the most dangerous woman in Britain’ by The Sun, Chakrabarti’s time at Liberty has also seen her become a notable public figure, easily recognisable from her numerous TV and radio appearances. This has been especially important because it helped to encourage the discussion of human rights in the public forum, which is often crucial to placing enough pressure on the government to create change.
Chakrabarti acknowledges that she leaves Liberty at a time where there is still lots to be done in the fight for human rights. She cites the proposed British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities by the current government as the main reason for not stepping down earlier, describing it as the ‘gravest threat to freedom in Britain since the Second World War’. In this video she talks about the value of the Human Rights Act:
She has also highlighted the increasing theme of human rights being presented as different for ‘us’ and ‘them’, a trend that strikes fear into the hearts of those who recall the dangers of demonising groups of people and using this as a reason to undermine their rights.
Nevertheless, Chakrabarti has stated that she is still optimistic about the future of human rights in the UK because of the support she found amongst the people during her time as director. In an article she wrote for The Guardian she stated: ‘we are no longer a small gathering of brave souls in the crypt, but a movement of some history and resilience. I hope you will continue to join our shared struggles in your thousands.’
She now goes on to new challenges in her role as a life peer, where undoubtedly she will continue to defend and promote human rights at all times.