17:53 23 April 2016
One of the UK’s most respected
international criminal lawyers who was representing Wikileaks founder Julian
Assange has died after being hit by a train in West Hampstead.
Married father of two John
Jones, QC, worked at renowned legal chambers, Doughty Street and died last
Monday morning. Police say they are not treating the death as suspicious.
The 48-year-old barrister has
been described as “a giant in his field” by colleagues, who said that his death
is “a monumental loss to the cause of international justice and human rights.”
Oxford graduate Mr Jones, who
took silk in 2013, specialised in extradition, war crimes and
counter-terrorism, representing clients from around the world in high profile
cases.
He was part of a team of
lawyers acting to prevent the extradition of Julian Assange - holed up in the
Ecuadorian embassy for four years - whose case is currently being heard by the
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Mr Jones was also working with
his colleague Amal Clooney to try and halt the execution of Colonel Gaddafi’s
son Saif and Libyan spy chief Abdullah-al Senussi.
Earlier in his career, he
helped bring to justice some of those responsible for genocide in the former
Yugoslavia as part of the UN’s International Criminal Tribunal, working to
establish procedures that were used in the historic trials.
As well as his criminal law
work, Mr Jones acted as a human rights lawyer, saving a 19-year old from the
death penalty in Singapore, fighting on behalf of journalists for free speech
in Africa, and making representations to the UN to prevent torture.
He joined Doughty Street in
2005, where he worked alongside some of the UK’s top barristers, including Keir
Starmer, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, who remains an associate tenant there.
Mr Starmer, who knew Mr Jones
well, said: “John made a huge contribution to international justice. His loss
is felt deeply by all his friends and colleagues, and all our thoughts are with
his family and friends.”
Doughty Street Chambers said
in a statement: “The passing of John Jones QC is a monumental loss to the cause
of international justice and human rights worldwide. He was a pioneer, at the
forefront of establishing our modern system of international criminal justice,
and a giant in the field.
“John was a good friend, great
colleague and a brilliant and creative lawyer.
“John was admired and
appreciated for his amazing sense of humour, his professionalism and his deep
commitment to justice and the rule of law.
“His death is a huge loss for
all of us in Chambers, for the British and international legal profession, but
mostly for his family to whom we offer our sincerest and deepest condolences.”
The statement also praised Mr
Jones for his wit, eloquence and benevolence. His colleagues said: “John
prepared humbler cases with a rigour equal to his higher profile ones. He
constantly gave his services for free, and his generous spirit and selfless
devotion came at some cost.”
Mr Jones lived in Kentish Town
with his wife and two young children.
A statement from British
Transport Police said officers attended West Hampstead rail station at 7.07 on
Monday morning after a man was struck by a train.
It said: “He was pronounced
dead at the scene. The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious. A file
will be prepared for the coroner.”
Messages of support can be
sent to condolences@doughtystreet.co.uk and cards or letters can be sent to
Chambers (53-54 Doughty Street, WC1N 2LS) to be forwarded to the family.
A fund has been set up for his
family, and donations can be made to the Doughty Street John Jones QC Memorial
Fund (sort code 20-77-67, account no. 93017451.
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