Annahita Moradi

Detention, ill-treatment and torture abroad

Work includes:

• Foreign Ministry and UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Communication: on behalf of individual detained in Saudi Arabia (2025 – Present, Junior Counsel)
• Foreign Office and UN Special Procedures, Communications: on behalf of individual detained in the Philippines (2023 – 2024, Junior Counsel: Repatriated)
• X v Sweden, UN Committee Against Torture, Communication: on behalf of individual at risk of deportation where there was a real risk of torture by the recipient state (2023 – 2024, Junior Counsel: Deportation Order withdrawn following submissions)
• Foreign Office and UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Communications: on behalf of individual arbitrarily detained and tortured in a prison abroad as a state-hostage (2020 – 2022, Junior Counsel: Repatriated and UN finding of arbitrary detention)

Land, environment and natural resources

Work includes:

• African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Communication: concerning Egypt and Ethiopia’s alleged violations of the African Charter, including the rights to development, natural resources, property, and employment, through the construction and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (2022 – Present, Junior Counsel)

Advisory work

Work includes:

• Legal expert to the Council of Europe: Opinion on Article 3 and 5 ECHR standards in response to the EU Pact on migration and asylum implication on detention conditions (2024, Junior Counsel)
• Advice on proposed EU Regulation on the protection of adults deprived of their legal capacity: Advice published by the European Disability Forum (2023, Junior Counsel)
• Advice on the criminalisation of forced sterilisation at EU level: Advice published by the European Disability Forum (2022, Junior Counsel)
• Advice on EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime concerning alleged torture in the Middle East (2022, Junior Counsel)
• Advice on sanctions procedures concerning alleged torture in Eurasia (2022, Junior Counsel)
• Advice on international human rights law compliance of Central Asian country’s new law (2022, Junior Counsel)
• Legal expert to the Council of Europe: drafted and presented codifying document on international laws concerning administrative detention conditions (adopted by Member States in May 2023 and co-authored by former European Court of Human Rights judge, Judge Ledi Bianku)

Domestic claims

Annahita’s recent work includes:

• Article 8 claim against local authority for failure to notify family of death of family member (Family Counsel, 2025 – Present)
• Article 3 claim against local authority for failure to remove (Family Counsel, 2024 – Present)
• Article 8 claim against two NHS Trusts breach of Mental Capacity Act 2005 and failure to notify family of foreseeable death (Family Counsel, 2024 – 2025: Settled)
• Advice on Article 3 claim against local authority for failure to remove (Claimant’s Counsel, 2023 – 2024)

Annahita is regularly instructed on inquiries. She has significant experience with drafting Rule 9 requests for Inquiry Legal Teams, and responding to Rule 9 requests for state and non-state core participants. She has acted on:

• Lampard Inquiry
• Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan
• COVID-19 Inquiry
• Undercover Policing Inquiry
• Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry

Annahita has represented bereaved families in inquests concerning emergency medicine, neonatal and paediatric medicine, pharmaceuticals, community mental health, work at height regulations, and social care.

• Finalist, ‘Junior Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’ (2024)
• Winner, ‘Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’, Advocate (2022)
• Finalist, ‘International Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’, Advocate (2022)
• Scholar, Prince of Wales Scholarship, Gray’s Inn – £16000 (2015)
• Recipient, Performance Award, University of Law – £1000 (2015)

• BPTC, University of Law (2015 – 2016)
• MA Legal and Political Theory, University College London (2014 – 2015)
• LLB, School of Oriental and African Studies (2011 – 2014)

• Equality and Human Rights Commission – Panel of Counsel (2024 – Present)
• International Criminal Court – List of Assistants to Counsel (2023 – Present)

“[Client] is clearly delighted … can see how brilliant you’ve been on this matter and how happy the client is.” – Instructing Solicitor (2025)

“You [both] really worked hard to ensure [the Defendants] sit up and take note … your efforts are very much appreciated.” – Lay client (2025)

“It was a pleasure to have to you on the team … your tireless and committed approach … speaks volumes about you … as a barrister” – Professional client (2025)

“[Y]ou have a very good way of setting things out and explaining things so that we are all on the same page!” – Instructing Solicitor (2025)

“In my capacity as the Inquest caseworker, Annahita is always one of the first barristers I seek to instruct…She is a fantastic barrister … [Our] matters are often some of [the] most difficult cases … Annahita has taken on many of my cases … [and] is an excellent advocate” – Caseworker (2024)

“Thank you for today. You are really across this case in such detail.” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“You continue to do an immense job.” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“[A]n amazing effort Annahita” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“You have argued eloquently”– Client (2024)

“As always, you have gone above and beyond what we would expect and that made all the difference … your flexibility and dedication set a high standard” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“[Annahita] demonstrated an exceptional level of expertise, thoroughly understanding our … needs and the challenges [faced]. Her responses to our enquiries were meticulous, providing strong legal arguments crucial for … negotiation success. … [S]he revealed remarkable professionalism by delivering timely advice, further contributing to our [success].” – Client (2024)

“[Y]ou did a great job today. … we did much better than expected.’ – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“[Annahita is a] reliable junior for cases [involving] individuals and communities suffering serious human rights violations.” – Lead Counsel (2024)

“This is such an incredible outcome in an extremely difficult case … but we won because you cared and worked so hard on this.” – Instructing Solicitor (2023)

“[D]uring the hearing it was clear she left no stone unturned and fought tooth and nail to put my case forward. I couldn’t have asked for better representation. Sound advice and a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom.” – Client (2023)

“[Annahita ] … was super thorough in going through the case documents and she was able to flag potential issues and highlight further documentation we needed. She provided advice to the client in a clear and compassionate way and she was especially considerate of our client’s vulnerabilities … She was extremely communicative and easily reachable throughout the case – it was an absolute pleasure to work with her! Our client was truly delighted with the outcome and with all of [Annahita’s] work on his case.” – Instructing Solicitor (2023)

“The preliminary work you carried out for my client was … extensive [and] shows that you really care about the client’s situation … [The client] is very lucky that a hearing was scheduled for the day that you were [available] as without your hard work and deep understanding of the law I can very much imagine things would have turned out differently.” – Instructing Solicitor (2023)

“[Annahita] proved to be a Godsend to our family […] [F]or everything she has done for us […] we are eternally grateful. She is a shining beacon in the legal industry.” – Client (2022)

 “[Annahita] always makes herself available to assist with our most complex and often, last minute requests […] [She] has been disarmingly proactive when approaching a case, carrying out a meticulous review of evidence and ensuring that all legal arguments are considered and evidenced. […] We are consistently impressed by [Annahita’s] dedication to her casework. […] All our legal staff agree that she is a marvel” – Instructing Solicitor (2022)

“[We] work with numerous … barristers … but [Annahita’s] conduct stood out. … [Annahita] has been communicative, personable and reassuring … I was extremely well impressed by her commitment to the client [and] dedication to the case [and] her ability to grasp complex information in a short period of time. … [W]hen engaging with the client following the hearing, he told me that he was very grateful to have [Annahita] fighting for him and that he felt that that made all the difference” – Instructing Solicitor (2022)