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Experts on countries of origin by country

Abbas, Dr. Ahmed

Dr. Ahmed is often called upon to provide advisory services for international organizations, governments, and corporations navigating legal issues in the Middle East. His reputation for accuracy, sensitivity, and integrity is well-established, and he remains a trusted voice in both the legal and academic communities.

Occupation: Dr. Ahmed Abbas is a trusted expert in Middle Eastern law, politics,
and culture, with two decades of experience providing expert witness
testimony, consulting, and analysis for governments, multinational
corporations, international NGOs, and legal teams. With a deep
understanding of the region's complex legal systems and sociopolitical structures, Dr. Al-Fahad has earned a reputation for his
reliable, nuanced, and clear assessments in cases involving
geopolitical conflicts, family law, and cross-border legal disputes.
His career has spanned a wide array of sectors, including international
arbitration, human rights, political risk analysis, and Islamic
jurisprudence. Known for his meticulous approach to research and an
ability to convey complex concepts to diverse audiences, Dr. Ahmed
has successfully assisted clients in navigating both the legal and
cultural intricacies of the Middle East. Fluent in Arabic and English,
he’s also worked extensively across North Africa, the Levant, and the
Gulf region, advising clients on both regional affairs and international
litigation.
Dr. Ahmed career is defined by his strong professional ethics,
empathetic understanding of the region's challenges, and a
commitment to helping clients achieve fair and informed outcomes.
Countries of expertise: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

al Khouri, Riad

A Middle East specialist, Riad trains, advises, lectures, and researches such topics as Business, Politics, and Migration, inter alia, publishing on them and others, as well as making media contributions. He holds a High School Diploma from l’École internationale de Genève; a BA from the American University of Beirut, Faculty of Arts and Sciences; and an MLitt from the University of Oxford, Faculty of Social Studies. Among other present positions he is Country of Origin Information expert for the Fahamu Refugee Program, Oxford; Special Advisor to the Global Challenges Forum, Geneva; and board associate, SUNSGLOW Global Training in the Rule of Law, New York City. He is fluent in Arabic and English, with a strong knowledge of French. 

Occupation: Researcher
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Yemen

Alhamadi, Dr Amir

Country Witness Expert on Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

► Get a Sample Report, Expert CV, and Free Consultation.
► Responds to inquiries within 1 hour and deliver reports within 1 week.
► Adheres to the minimum rate that meets Legal Aid requirements.
 

Expert at the international agency The Human Rights:
We provide expert witness reports for asylum cases worldwide, covering human rights violations, political persecution, and systemic oppression. Our reports are trusted by lawyers, courts, and immigration authorities in the UK, USA, Canada, and the EU.

Winner of the Expert Witness Awards in the category of Best Immigration, Asylum & Refugee Expert Witness 2024

Occupation: Country Witness Expert on the Middle East
Human Rights Specialist
Legal Researcher and Academic Consultant
Regional Analyst on Armed Conflict and Religious Persecution
Countries of expertise: Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen

Andakian, Isaac

Goal-focused, strategic planner, and passionate leader with extensive experience implementing effective, global strategies to stabilize communities through capacity building, promoting human rights and democratization, and amplifying the value of communication. Skilled in collaborating with all members of the organization to build bridges across ideological divides, trusted to tailor language, tone, style, and format to match the audience. Passionate educator with two years’ experience as a High School Principal. Proactively pursues the development and execution of ethical leadership, personnel management, and clear research/discovery goals with comprehensive plans delivering measurable impact to in-house operations. 

An accomplished expert in Lebanese, Levantine, and MENA law, politics, and culture, Dr. Isaac Andakian brings extensive experience and a proven track record in political advisory roles. From 2001 to 2009, Dr. Andakian served as a trusted senior political adviser to two members of the Lebanese Parliament and a minister in the Lebanese cabinet. Over nine years, he counseled the Armenian Orthodox Community Court of Lebanon and the Municipality of the City of Anjar, Lebanon, from 2003 to 2012.

During Dr. Andakian’s tenure as an Arabic Litigation… Read more

Occupation: Academia
Countries of expertise: Armenia, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, United Kingdom, United States of America

Gabbay, Shaul

Dr. Shaul Gabbay completed a BA at Bar Ilan University and an MA at Tel-Aviv University. In 1991 he received a Presidential Fellowship from the U.S. to continue his studies. In 1995 he completed the PhD program at Columbia University in New York and received an invitation from the University of Chicago for a Post Doctoral program. In 1998 Dr. Gabbay returned to Israel to join the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Professor Gabbay joined the University of Denver as the Director of the Institute for the Study of Israel in the Middle East at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies in 2001- 2010.  He continued his research at DU as a Senior Scholar until 2015 when he was appointed Director of the Global Research Institute.

His areas of expertise include Middle East cultures and societal norms,   Middle East conflicts, and human rights issues existing in Muslim societies.  He is regularly cited and acts as a commentator in national and international media such as the Associated Press, CBS, NBC, FOX and MSNBC.

Occupation: Muslim World Expert
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Gaza Strip, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Yemen

George, Alan

Academic with expertise on many countries in the Middle East; has extensive experience providing expert reports, including nationality assessment and document authentication reports.

Occupation: Consultant, writer, journalist. Former Senior Associate Member, St Antony’s College, Oxford University and former Senior Visiting Research Fellow in the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at London University’s King’s College.
Countries of expertise: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria, Yemen

Hafidh, Dr Hasan

The Expert is a Lecturer in Comparative Politics and International Relations of the Middle East. 

Occupation: Lecturer in Comparative Politics of the Middle East (Gulf Specialism), Expert of Islamic Countries
Countries of expertise: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Laizer, Sheri J

Extensive experience in expert reports on all the countries listed, and also in particular, Kurds in country of origin and diaspora

Occupation: Freelance writer & broadcast journalist since 1985 specializing in the Near East; photographer; political commentator, Middle East country of origin specialist
Countries of expertise: Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria, Turkey

Menhem, Suzanne

Suzanne Menhem is a Professor and Researcher at the Lebanese University, Institute of Social Sciences, and an independent consultant with extensive expertise in Social Sciences, Anthropology, Demography, and Migration. She is renowned for her leadership in managing and implementing complex research projects and has made significant contributions to international initiatives such as Towards a Cultural Understanding of the Other (TOGETHER), Mediterranean Youth, NEETs and Women Advancing Skills, Employment, and Awareness in the Blue and Green Economy (MYSEA), and Viral Circulations and Social Dynamics. Her work has included conducting surveys, interviews, and focus groups to explore issues related to these projects, providing critical insights into global social dynamics. Dr. Menhem’s research interests encompass migration, gender equality, and socioeconomic development, with a strong focus on human rights-based inquiry. She has led key projects such as the National Study on Child Sexual Abuse in Lebanon, New Migrants in Lebanon, and The Syrian Youth Refugees’ Social and Economic Engagement in Lebanon, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations and tackling urgent social issues.As Head of the Department of Methodology, Epistemology, and Techniques at Lebanese University, Dr… Read more

Occupation: Professor & Researcher
Countries of expertise: France, Lebanon, United Kingdom, United States of America

Miles, Hugh

Hugh Miles is an Arabic and French speaking journalist who has been living in Cairo for most of the past 20 years researching and writing about all aspects of Arab society and culture. Since 2004 Miles has covered news in North Africa and the Middle East region professionally for diverse international media including the BBC, Al Jazeera, New York Times, Telegraph, Guardian, London Review of Books, Mirror, Mail, Sun and many others. He is a contributor to the Global Organized Crime Index designed to assess levels of organised crime in 193 UN member states and gives regular, ongoing training sessions to the UK FCDO about organised crime in the Middle East as well as, separately, the media environment in the Middle East.

Miles is the founder of Arab Digest, an independent UK ltd. media company specialising in Arab affairs. Arab Digest is an online private members club where business leaders and regional experts discuss the latest developments in the Middle East and North Africa each day. Paying members include the United Nations, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, The Economist, Oxford University, King’s College London University, Princeton University, BAE, Chevron and many more. 

Occupation: Author, Journalist and Consultant
Countries of expertise: Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates

Nasr, Hatem

CEO and founder at Xsolutions Ltd, is an experienced advocate in the appellate court of Egypt. With over 12 years of practice, they specialize in various legal areas, including Egyptian Civil Law, human rights, domestic abuse, trade regulations, criminal law, and Sharea (Islamic Law). They collaborate closely with lawyers, judges, and the Ministry of Interior on national security and civil registration cases. Additionally, they provide reports related to human rights, asylum, gender violence, and political persecution.

Occupation: CEO and founder at Xsolutions Ltd
Countries of expertise: Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates

Phelps, Dr. Sandra

The Expert is a Gender & Social Inclusion International Development specialist across multiple global south countries - She holds a Ph.D. in Gender & Postcolonial Studies, University of Sydney, Australia, 2005.

The Expert is an experienced senior consultant and academic with 15+ years in educational program design and management across humanitarian and development sectors, including democracy, education, civil society, and government collaboration in diverse global regions. Her expertise in creating effective development programs with a focus on inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

Occupation: The Expert is a Gender & Social Inclusion International Development specialist across multiple global south countries - She holds a Ph.D. in Gender & Postcolonial Studies, University of Sydney, Australia, 2005.
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Australia, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunisia

Tushar, Md Solaiman

The Expert is a Barrister-at-Law of England and Wales. The Expert is a practicing Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He holds the position of Head of Chambers at "Justice for All', with nearly a decade's experience in legal practice. The expert regularly moves before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh for various matters including Writ (Judicial Review), Criminal and Civil Appeal and Revision, Bail Petition, Intellectual Property, Company Matter, Inheritance, Public Interest Litigation, Muslim Personal Law,  Succession Law,  Hindu Law, etc.

Parallel to his legal pursuits, the expert is the Legal Affairs and Political Editor of The Daily Campus and columnist. Accumulatively, he possesses over 18 years of sustained experience as a Journalist in Bangladesh, having written extensively on a broad range of issues, including human rights, the criminal justice system, politics, education, health, mental health, and international laws.

The Expert is an academic specialist in the politics and international relations of South Asia, & the Middle East with almost two decades of experience studying the region. The Expert has conducted research, advisory, and consultancy work in Bangladesh on the formal and informal justice systems, freedom of speech and… Read more

Occupation: Barrister-at-Law, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Researcher, Journalist, and Columnist.
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen

Zagud, Dr. Abduslam

Dr Zagud holds an intensive research experience on international public law, international human rights law, international relations and immigration law. 

Dr Zagud takes instructions on all Arab cases from: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

He maintains his expertise in all legal matters related to Arab nationals including cases pertaining to asylum, immigration, family and crime. Dr Zagud writes expert reports on all legal matters as well as nationality matters, languages, blood feuds, honour killing, domestic violence, risk of return and Islamic law.

His expertise centres around the people with whom he shares cultural understanding, languages, religious beliefs, and numerous national characteristics.

 

Cases undertaken

The Expert has experience in providing Country of Origin reports and analyses, he also provides documents authentication reports on various legal proceedings for clients in the UK and internationally. he is mostly instructed in following cases:

Arab legal and judicial systems. Socio-culture norms. Tribal dynamic. Blood Feuds Internal… Read more
Occupation: Expert with legal and interpreting/translation expertise attained in the United Kingdom
Countries of expertise: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen