A group of lawyers has urged the Bar Council to issue a statement condemning the 70 MPs who signed a motion in Parliament seeking to condemn the judges in the Sodomy II trial.

The spokesperson for the group of lawyers known as the G100, Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, said the Bar Council has a duty to defend the court’s dignity.

“We expect the Bar Council to make a statement on the contemptuous behaviour towards the court in Parliament.

“They have to do it, it’s wrong and against the law. They have to condemn it,” Abdul Aziz ( right ) told a press conference today.

Two days ago, Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers announced their intention to file the motion and then submitted it the next day, with 70 signatures.

The motion calles for action to be taken against the five Federal Court judges in the trial under the Judges Code of Ethics Act 2009.

The judges had convicted Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy last month, and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment.

The motion against them says, “There are hidden reasons and a pre-emptive judgment was made on Anwar Ibrahim, which is one-sided.”

'Accusing court of bias crosses the line'

The G100, named as such called because it initially had about 100 members, claimed that the Pakatan MPs move is malicious.

Another spokesperson, Mohd Nor Amin, told the same press conference that while no law prevents people from discussing or even disagreeing with the verdict, accusing the court of bias crosses the line.

“You can’t go on to say that the courts are corrupt, that the judges have other intentions… this undermines the credibility of the court. It undermines the credibility of the entire judicial system.

“That is why we, as a people and as a society, should put our foot down and say ‘no’. There is a clear line between disagreeing with the judgment, and contemptuous remarks against the courts,” Mohd Nor said.