Fiji Police push for modern law as UN endorses review of Act

We cannot talk about modernising any organisation without the backup of legislation.

This was highlighted by Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu, who says there is a need to review the Police Act 1965 during a Validation Workshop on the Review of the Police Act held at the Grand Pacific Hotel today.

Tudravu says the Police Act, which has guided the Fiji Police Force for nearly six decades, is no longer suited to today’s rapidly changing crime landscape.

He stressed that despite major developments in the penal code and the introduction of the Crimes Decree, the Force continues to operate under an outdated framework that limits its effectiveness.

Tudravu says the review aims to ensure the Fiji Police Force is grounded in the principles of accountability, transparency, integrity, and human rights, while fostering greater community trust and engagement.

Deputy Representative for the UN Human Rights Pacific Sebastien Gillioz shared Tudravu’s sentiments, saying that the UN fully supports Fiji’s review of the Police Act as part of its commitment to international human rights standards.

Gillioz says the process is important for the UN, as it is designed to reinforce Fiji’s compliance with its obligations under international human rights law, particularly the Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

He says that while the UN had not yet seen the final draft of the revised Act, it continues to support the process to ensure it is meaningful, inclusive, and rights-based.