Solicitor launches firm to advise peace movement

The first legal service catering for the peace movement has been launched in Birmingham.PeaceRights, which comprises sole practitioner and environmental specialist Phil Shiner and a secretary, handles cases such as the manufacture, maintenance and storage of nuclear weapons, the refitting and refuelling of nuclear sub-marines, and advising on legal issues surrounding wars and international humanitarian laws.

It has been giving advice on the war in Afghanistan to anti-war pressure groups.The practice is an offshoot of Public Interest Lawyers, a firm which Mr Shiner set up two years ago.Mr Shiner explained that the peace movement was an area which currently had no focused legal service on hand to give advice to activists - among his plans is a free telephone advice line.'Many peace activists, who have no legal background or ready access to legal services, deliberately trespass on sites of nuclear facilities, and deliberately cause criminal damage,' he said.

'They need access to lawyers who can represent them, or advise them of their legal rights so they can defend themselves.'Although stressing that it was 'early days' for PeaceRights, Mr Shiner said he wanted to explore ideas such as 'how the law can play a role in healing and rebuilding countries after civil wars'.

He said: 'For example, whether it is better to pursue an individual abuser of human rights, such as Slobodan Milosevic, or to establish a broader ranging tribunal of local people to deal with the situation.'LINKS: www.peacerights.comVictoria MacCallum