Lawyers boycott defense of India rape suspects By Aliza Kassim, CNN January 2, 2013 -- Updated 1935 GMT (0335 HKT) Six people have been charged in the assault and death of an Indian woman Bar association leaders in the district where it happened urge lawyers not to take the case The accused will likely get a court appointed lawyer or one from another district The woman died on Saturday from her injuries (CNN) -- Top lawyers in the India district where a woman was gang-raped are saying that they will not represent the six men accused in the attack, which led to her death. The 11 lawyers who make up the executive board of the Saket Bar Association on Wednesday vowed not to represent any of the accused assailants because of the nature of the crime. The brutal attack galvanized the nation and has led to protests by outraged citizens. In addition, the bar association has appealed to its 7,000 members to also refrain from representing the accused, said the association's president, Rajpal Kasana. "We are not taking this case on the grounds of humanity," he said. The boycott by the bar association does not mean the accused will not have lawyers. Attorneys from other districts or ones appointed by the court will likely fill that role. Opinion: End culture of rape in 2013 "We want it to be clear that we will not obstruct or stand in the way of any lawyer who is court-appointed or who represents these assailants -- we do realize that they will be defended by someone, most possibly legal aid," Kasana said. The call for local lawyers to avoid defending the accused is unprecedented, but justified because "everyone is emotionally attached to this case," he said. The 23-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, died last week in a Singapore hospital, where she received treatment after being airlifted from New Delhi. Attackers assaulted the woman and her male companion on a bus December 16, robbing them of their belongings before dumping them at the side of a road, police said. The male companion was eventually discharged from a hospital. Misogyny in India: We are all guilty Singapore doctors said the woman died "peacefully" early Saturday, surrounded by her family and Indian Embassy officials. She had been in "extremely critical condition" since her arrival. India's Supreme Court on Thursday will hear a petition asking it to suspend all lawmakers who face charges for crimes against women. The petition was filed in the aftermath of the brutal gang rape, which sent thousands of outraged protesters to the streets for days. "This unfortunate episode has galvanized the nation," said Jagdeep S. Chhokar, an official with the Association for Democratic Reforms, which tracks political candidate's criminal records. Chhokar said six Indian state lawmakers are facing rape charges, and two people in the federal parliament are also facing charges of crimes against women that fall short of rape. The group says that in the past five years, political parties across India have nominated 260 candidates facing charges of crimes against women such as assault and outraging the modesty of a woman.