11 Feb 2008

More backing for Fiji Law Society's challenge to Appeal Court appointments

8:22 pm on 11 February 2008

There's increased support in Fiji for the Law Society's challenge to the appointment of Court of Appeal judges.

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement and the Fiji Indigenous Lawyers Association say the appointments, following mass resignations last year, are illegal.

The interim regime announced the new appointments, which include two women judges, last week, but the Women's Rights Movement's Virisila Buadromo, says the rule of law cannot be sacrificed:

"The Court and the Interim Attorney General made a big deal about the fact that two women were appointed to the High Court. For us as an organisation that believes in the rule of law, we believe that the appointment of these two female judges is just a false sense of gender equality."

It says the latest judicial appointments further undermine the rule of law.

The Law Society's challenge to the constitutionality of the appointments is due in court next month or in April.