A non-government organisation has criticised the recent appointments to the Fiji Court of Appeal saying they were illegal and further comprised the independence of the judiciary.

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement said the rule of law could not be sacrificed even for a false sense of gender equality.

Executive director Virisila Buadromo said the appointments included two female judges and the gender of the appointees was irrelevant given the circumstances in which they were appointed.

“These latest judicial appointments by the military headed regime further undermine the rule of law in our country,” said Ms Buadromo.

She said the country was on shaky ground when the Interim Government was handpicking the judges for the court that might ultimately decide on the legality of its takeover.

Ms Buadromo reiterated what the Fiji Law Society had stated that all appointments to the judiciary after the military coup on December 5, 2006 were unlawful. The independence of the judiciary was further thrown into doubt after new appointee Justice Jocelyn Scutt publicly supported the controversial FHRC election inquiry report, she said.