The Interim Attorney General has today rejected suggestions by the International Bar Association (IBA) that the interim government has allegedly threatened the IBA not to come to Fiji assess the rule of law in the country.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said it is not the case that they are blocking the IBA as they have allowed Law Asia and the European Union missions to come in and assess the independence of the judiciary.
He said the IBA unlike Law Asia and the EU group has already pre-judged a lot of matters and had no consultations with him or the Acting Chief Justice about their visit.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the IBA should follow proper protocol and stop speaking to a group of lawyers who are allegedly misinforming the International Bar Association.
He is also concerned with IBA's comments that the threat made by Sayed-Khaiyum against the delegation is unacceptable in a free and democratic society and reflects badly on the state of affairs in Fiji.
In a statement released today, the International Bar Association said it condemns the threat made by Sayed-Khaiyum against the high-level delegation scheduled to conduct an in-country review of the rule of law in Fiji.
The IBA said it received a letter from Sayed-Khaiyum declaring that the government of Fiji does not welcome or approve the delegation's visit and would take appropriate steps if the IBA attempts to visit Fiji. The delegation included senior jurists from Australia and Malaysia who were scheduled to meet with judges and members of the legal profession for five days between 8th to 12th December.
The IBA said it is disappointed with the interim government's step and is also troubled by the latest attempt to thwart the efforts of a non-political professional association to assess the situation.
However, the International Bar Association said it is not deterred and will carry out the review using other avenues available. It said it will issue a report in the near future and it regrets that the Fiji government will not meet with the delegation to present its own views on the rule of law in Fiji.
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