Retired Western Cape Judge, Siraj Desai, has hit back at a ruling by the Judicial Conduct Committee which found that he breached the Judicial Code of Conduct (JCC) over his pro-Palestine stance.
Desai has described the ruling as a gagging order.
It follows a complaint against him by the South African Zionist Federation.
Although the JCC dismissed much of the complaints against Desai, it, however, found him in violation of the Judicial Code for his support of campaigns calling for the boycott of Israeli.
In an order written by Supreme Court of Appeal’s Justice Namitha Dambuza, the JCC warned Desai not to participate or become involved in political controversy in the future unless it is necessary to do so in the exercise of the judicial function.
However, Desai remains unapologetic and has hinted at appealing the ruling.
“The order made against me by Judge Dambuza is surprising, to say the least. I’m effectively muzzled from expressing any view on an ongoing crime against humanity. In granting this order, the learned judge places herself on the wrong side of history. She fails to realise that the violent repression of the Palestinian people by apartheid Israel is the most significant human rights issue of our time. I’m ethically bound to speak out against it, and I intend to pursue the order she made in other forums of the Judicial Conduct Committee.”
VIDEO | Retired former Judge Siraj Desai warned not to participate in any politics:
