New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key says the Fijian authorities could legally detain the six people for allegedly breaching the laws of Fiji.
Key made the comments to Newstalk ZB when asked about the detainment and questioning of SODELPA Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, NFP Leader, Professor Biman Prasad, Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions General Secretary, Attar Singh, Doctor Tupeni Baba and Jone Dakuvula after the Pacific Dialogue meeting on the 5th of this month.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is now analyzing the file of the six men before deciding on whether charges will be laid.
The issues being looked at are whether the meeting was held without a permit and whether inciteful comments were made in the meeting.
Key says it is not a major problem.
When asked on Fijian Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama’s recent comments, Key said to the NZ media that it does not mean that he is spoiling for a fight.
Bainimarama has said in a statement that it is disappointing that elements of the international community have issued statements of concern about the detention and questioning of Fijians who have allegedly contravened our laws.
He says the Public Order Act amongst other provisions, requires any group wanting to hold a public meeting to apply for a permit from the Police before the proposed event.
Bainimarama says in this case, no application was made so the Police are entirely within their rights to question those who have allegedly contravened these provisions.
The Prime Minister adds that those who attended this gathering were lawfully detained for questioning and there have been no allegations of any of their human rights being breached while in detention.
He says these included the right to legal counsel and they were released within the 48 hours that the law prescribes as the limit at which they can be detained without appearing in court.
Bainimarama has stressed that the Police are carrying out their independent duty and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will similarly carry out its own independent assessment as to whether these individuals should be prosecuted or not.
The Prime Minister says any objective assessment of what is happening on the ground in Fiji in respect of this matter requires an understanding and appreciation of the separation of powers between the independent institutions of the State.
Bainimarama stresses that Fiji has a sovereign right to make its own laws and in the case of the Public Order Act, it exists because of our colonial past and an unfortunate history of civil unrest in post independent Fiji which cannot be repeated.
