On Wednesday 22 July 2026, Garden Court North hosted an event entitled ‘Descent Into Authoritarianism? Undermining the Role of Defence Lawyers: The Rajiv Menon KC Case’ alongside Garden Court Chambers, One Pump Court and Nexus Chambers. Rajiv Menon KC faces prosecution for allegedly committing contempt of court during the closing speech that he delivered to a jury at the Woolwich Crown Court in January 2026, when he was defending pro-Palestine activists charged with criminal damage during direct action taken at a factory in Filton, Bristol, belonging to Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer.
Raju Bhatt, founding partner at Bhatt Murphy, spoke at the event. He described the contempt proceedings brought against Menon as a ‘wholly unjustified and unacceptable attack’, adding: “What Rajiv did here was nothing more and nothing less than the job he was required to do for his client in accordance with his duties and pursuant to the rule of law”.
A petition in relation to the prosecution is here.
The full video of the event is available here.
Further coverage of the event is in The Guardian and in the Law Society Gazette.
