The Law Society of Ireland has vehemently denounced threats and harassment aimed at solicitors, stating that they fundamentally weaken our legal system and the concept of law and order. This statement came after revelations that Imran Khurshid, a Dublin-based immigration solicitor, had been the subject of online threats.
The Society, which acts as the professional body for solicitors in Ireland, firmly condemned any such act of intimidation towards Mr Khurshid. This followed reports that the solicitor had been targeted with online threats the previous week, which were directed at his faith, ethnicity, field of expertise or race, thereby posing a threat to the whole legal process, as indicated by the Society’s president, Barry MacCarthy.
During the last week of July, a number of posts on a social media platform (referred to as X), called for Mr Khurshid to be expelled from Ireland in a violent manner. His firm, Daly Khurshid Solicitors LLP, had also received a threatening email under the subject of ‘warning’.
Having worked in Dublin for nearly ten years, Mr Khurshid has claimed that he no longer feels safe walking the city’s streets alone due to these threats and the changing sentiment towards immigrants in Ireland.
In response, Mr MacCarthy insisted that all legal practitioners should be able to carry out their duties without fear or risk, and that every person, irrespective of their background or case specifics, has a right to effective and unbiased legal representation, a principle which is integral to a fair society and instated in our legal system.
In addition, Mr MacCarthy commended An Garda Síochána for acting swiftly in response to these threats. The police were quick to contact Mr Khurshid after he reported the threats, with an officer taking his statement last week.
Mr Khurshid, anticipating a follow-up meeting with the police this week, expressed his relief at their timely response. He conveyed his belief that people’s perception and attitude towards immigration have been influenced by the Dublin riots last November. He warned that if immediate action is not taken to address this issue, it may become a much larger problem.