The barrister Jonathan Cooper, who has died suddenly aged 58, was the driving force behind numerous human rights campaigns over the past 30 years. Exuberant, knowledgable and admired by a wide circle of friends, he was at the forefront of efforts to decriminalise homosexuality around the world and a pivotal figure in educating a generation of civil servants about the Human Rights Act.
Cooper may not have been a prominent public figure or a highly paid QC, but as a barrister he was a tireless crusader, devising ingenious legal challenges and campaign strategies. Geoffrey Robertson QC, joint head of Doughty Street Chambers, where Cooper practised for most of his working life, described him as a brilliant scholar providing “ammunition” for advocates to win courtroom battles.
Continue reading…This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.