FEMINIST, civil rights leader, JUST West Yorkshire director and human rights champion Ratna Lachman (pictured) has died aged 60 after a fight against cancer.

Nadeem Murtuja, chairman of JUST West Yorkshire, said: “Ratna will be incredibly missed.

"She has been, and always will be, an irreplaceable force - championing the cause of human rights, civil liberties, feminism and mainly Muslims, who she felt had been hung out to dry since this horrific ill-fated war on terror.

"Ratna had a simple view, and that was that all of our freedoms were connected.

“As chair of JUST Yorkshire, and on behalf of the board, I would like to pay the strongest tribute to Ratna for her spirit, contribution and leadership.

"She fought throughout her lifetime. Even when this disease of cancer had taken a grip on her own life, she still fought tirelessly for others.”

Ms Lachman, who lived in Otley, died on July 23.