Alex specialises in the exhaustion of domestic remedies – the often-overlooked foundation for international human rights litigation. He is able to partner effectively with clients’ local lawyers in countries worldwide to build human rights arguments for use in domestic courts. This encourages courts to respect rights and paves the way for complaints before international bodies if they do not.

He is available to work alone or in partnership on complaints to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, European Court of Human Rights, other regional courts and United Nations Special Procedures. 

Drawing on a broad skill set, Alex is also able to build support coalitions and engage action from international organisations to assist in cases lying outside the reach of complaints mechanisms.

Alex’s work typically involves a nexus with criminal law, in particular cross-border aspects and politically-motivated prosecutions concerning political figures and those who have exercised the freedom of speech. 

Recent work has also involved a specific focus on the intersection of human rights and the law of the sea, and Alex is able to assist seafarers unfairly caught up in shipping disputes with governments.

Recent examples include:

• Bangladesh – Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association contesting the lawfulness of the suspension of the Awami League party under international standards.
• Villarejo v Spain – International human rights assistance to a former police intelligence officer prosecuted for passive bribery offences. Working in collaboration with Spanish counsel to bring Article 6 ECHR (fair trial) and EU law arguments before the Supreme Court of Spain, in connection with digital evidence and the withholding of national security related information.
• Julian Assange v UK (European Court of Human Rights): Preparation of potential European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) applications on issues including inhuman and degrading treatment and freedom of expression prior to the resolution of the case, in cooperation with European colleagues.
• Salam v Indonesia: Case of the MT Aashi, a tanker that ran aground offshore of Nias Island, Indonesia, causing a bitumen spill. Representing the Chief Officer, who was held in Indonesia for many months without charge pending receipt of clean-up and compensation guarantees from the vessel’s owner (see reporting in the Indian media here). Submissions made to the United Nations (Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights and Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) (Legal Committee) alleging restriction of movement contrary to Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and breach of the IMO Fair Treatment Guidelines.
• Kokorev v Spain (3954/2021) (UN Human Rights Committee): Ongoing challenge to a two-year period of pre-trial detention in Spain under Article 9 of the ICCPR. It is alleged that the decision-making was unfair due to withholding of the case-file under ‘secrecy’ rules and that the detention was arbitrary by reason of breach of the extradition ‘specialty’ rule. The complaint also challenges the duration of the proceedings, ongoing for many years, under Article 14 of the ICCPR. Spanish media reporting here. European Criminal Bar Association amicus intervention request here.
• Stroykompleks v Russia (European Court of Human Rights): Assisted Russian lawyer with arguments under Article 1, First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) (right to property) in a successful challenge to the Russian authorities’ disproportionate retention of the applicant companies’ physical assets in the context of criminal proceedings, and ineffective judicial review by the Russian courts.
• Beuze v Belgium (European Court of Human Rights): Instructed by Fair Trials as amicus in this case revisiting ECHR Article 6 principles on access to a lawyer. Intervention here. This followed numerous amicus submissions when employed at Fair Trials: A.T. Luxembourg (the first Article 6 judgment to draw on an EU defence rights directive) (intervention and judgment discussed on EU Law Analysis here); Candido Gonzalez Martin v Spain (pre-trial access to the case file) (intervention here); Vizgirda v Slovenia (interpretation & translation); Ibrahim & Other v UK (recasting Article 6 principles on access to a lawyer) (intervention here); and Magyar Helsinki Bizottsag v Hungary (intervention here) (public access to legal aid information under Article 10 of the ECHR).

Alex has worked on INTERPOL cases for 15 years, with continuous experience of the work of INTERPOL and the Commission for the Control of Files. He was closely involved with key 2016-17 reforms of INTERPOL in prior work with Fair Trials and continues to contribute to INTERPOL reform processes through roles in the European Criminal Bar Association and Lawyers Against Transnational Repression. He has published and lectured widely in this area and is a recognised expert on the topic.

Recent examples include:

• Launched DELETION.info – A free and accessible portal enabling effective navigation of the published decisions of the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files, universally welcomed by the global INTERPOL-interested community.
• Heard as an expert before the Legal Affairs Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Paris (May 2025) on INTERPOL and transnational repression. See here.
• Crew of a Vessel v NCB of country X: Successful challenge before the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF) in relation to a group of INTERPOL red notices raising legal questions at the intersection of human rights, the law of the sea, and INTERPOL’s rules.
• Sayed Abdellatif v NCB Egypt: Successful challenge to Egyptian red notice based on a conviction arising out of a mass trial relying on evidence obtained by torture. One of the early encouraging ECHR Article 2 (human rights) rulings after reforms of the CCF. The Guardian reporting here.
• CW v NCB Sri Lanka: Successful challenge to Sri Lankan red notice against a well-known refugee human rights lawyer and editor of a website reporting on corruption issues in Sri Lanka.

Alex has been involved in significant extradition cases involving the interpretation of European Union law, prison conditions, and the judicial review.

Recent examples include:

• R (Chappell & Others) v SSHD [2023] WLR(D) 25: Led by Jonathan Hall KC in a rare judicial review of certification a Part 2 extradition request, raising question as to the status of notes verbales in the international law of diplomatic practice. Evening Standard reporting here.
• Marinescu & Others v Romania [2022] EWHC 2317 (Admin): Led by Ben Cooper KC in leading Romanian prison conditions case, resulting in new form of assurance that has been decisive for other cases. Crime Line reporting here.
• Marosan v Romania [2022] 1 WLR 1759: Junior alone in case interpreting Article 26 of the European arrest warrant Framework decision (EAW FD) with regard to deduction of ‘dual remand’. Crime Line reporting here.
• Szatkowski v Poland [2019] 1 WLR 4528: Junior alone in case applying EU law principle of conforming interpretation to read words into s.20 of the Extradition Act 2003.
• Japan v Chappell & Others (ongoing): Led by Jonathan Hall KC in one of three cases that are the subject of the first-ever extradition request from Japan, under rare ad-hoc ‘special extradition arrangements’, exploring unusual police interrogation and prison regime issues. The Times reporting here. 

In addition to work for individual clients, Alex is regularly engaged as an international consultant by United Nations agencies’ offices around the world to advise the UN and national bodies on rule of law, human rights, penal policy, and criminal justice. He focuses on giving effect to key international standards relating to fair trials, alternatives to imprisonment, and prisons (the ICCPR, Tokyo Rules, Bangkok Rules, Nelson Mandela Rules, etc.).

Recent examples include:

• Fair Trials, Brussels (2025-ongoing): assisted in securing EU funds for a major project to investigate the protection of fair trial rights in the context of trials in absentia, and now instructed for the implementation of legal aspects of the project.
• United Nations Development Programme, Lao PDR (2023): Assistance to the Lao Bar Association in developing a strategic vision to strengthen the legal profession in Lao PDR.
• United Nations Development Programme, Lao PDR (2022): Review of Lao criminal procedure against international standards to identify reform priorities (presented in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in 2023).
• United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, Afghanistan (2021): Development and delivery of training to lawyers, prosecutors, and judges on alternatives to imprisonment; prior to the Taliban takeover in summer 2021.
• United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, HQ Vienna (2020): Assessment of criminal justice and prison management responses to the COVID-19 pandemic to identify and exchange best practices, with a focus on Latin America and Africa (using Spanish and French).

Alex is committed to dialogue and mutual learning on human rights issues between legal professionals, academia, and civil society organisations. He publishes regularly on emerging legal issues.

Recent speaking engagements

• ‘Advocacy at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’, Legal Experts Advisory Panel seminar, March 2025
• ‘Article 18 ECHR: potential for uses in transnational repression cases’, Legal Experts Advisory Panel seminar, March 2025
• INTERPOL and cross-border policing, Right Con, Taipei (February 2025).
• ‘Challenging persecution of human rights defenders and intellectuals (and their lawyers)’, Chair of expert roundtable (July 2023)
• ‘Comparative bar association practice’, Presentation to UN Development Programme roundtable on the legal profession in Lao PDR (June 2023)
• ‘INTERPOL implications of the war in Ukraine’, Kingsley Napley International Protection Summit (November 2022)
• 'Implications of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the legal profession and the representation of clients, human rights implications’ (published video/slides) Academy of European Law (January 2021)

Selected publications

• ‘Specialty: Arresting an elusive ‘right’ in European extradition law’, New Journal of European Criminal Law Vol 12 issue 1 (special edition in memoriam of Scott Crosby) (March 2021).
• 'Double Jeopardy: Which principles apply in EAW cases?’ Crime Line Extradition Hub (13 October 2020).
• ‘Echoes of Kadi: Reforms to Internal Remedies at INTERPOL’, EJILTalk! (20 January 2017).
• ‘Protecting Criminal Defence Rights through EU Law: Opportunities and Challenges’ New Journal of European Criminal Law Vol 4 issue 4 (December 2013).