Is our President’s freedom to speak to the media suppressed - Grace Road Group Director

Grace Road Group Fiji Director Ahrum Song has come out strongly and has questioned the Minister of Immigration Pio Tikoduadua if GR Group Fiji President, Daniel Kim’s freedom to speak to the media has been suppressed.

This comes after Kim was arrested and taken into custody after his press conference last Thursday where he spoke about his disappointment towards Tikoduadua for the comments he made towards the GR Group in Fiji and said that Kim was on the run.

Song says right after the press conference, Kim was taken into custody by the immigration and the police from his home.

He says their legal counsel has advised them that this is a clear and blatant breach of his constitutional rights.

He adds the minister portrayed Kim as a fugitive when for many years he has been operating the business publicly in Fiji.

Song has also asked why is Kim the only person detained while the other members named in the court proceedings were released and further asked if is it because he is the President of the company.

He says Tikoduadua seems to be trying to disrupt the GR Group’s business and holding their President captive to suppress his right to speak and explain the GR Group's position.

Song also mentioned that right after Kim was detained, a key executive member of GR Group received a visa refusal letter while she was on her flight back to Fiji from a business trip.

He says the letter was issued while she was on her flight to Fiji and upon arrival, she found out that she was forbidden to enter Fiji without a proper explanation and had her passport and phone taken by the immigration officers.

Song says this executive member has no criminal record and is not under any criminal investigation which raises a question of why suddenly this happened to her which is again, an abhorrent breach of her constitutional rights.

He says this is an abuse of power and authority against a religious group and business entity.

Song further says it is clear that the Immigration Minister is singling GR Group out and trying to damage their business and disrupt their community of faith.

He has also asked Tikoduadua if he has a personal agenda against GR Group.

Tikoduadua confirmed to fijivillage News on Friday that Kim was located and is currently in immigration custody as he has been declared a prohibited immigrant.

He says there is a court order that stops Kim from being removed now but they are appealing the court decision.

Tikoduadua said that Kim was on the run after his passport was nullified by the Korean Government, and the Fijian Government stated that it was unable to locate him.

Tikoduadua said 7 other people from Grace Road in Fiji were wanted by the Korean Government and this included Acting Grace Road President Sung Jin Lee, Nam Suk Choi, Byeong Joon Lee, Jin Sook Yoon, Beomseop Shin and Chul Na.

Also on the run is Jin Sook Yoon.

Tikoduadua says using his discretion as Minister under Section 13(2)(g) of the Immigration Act, these individuals were declared Prohibited Immigrants making their presence in Fiji unlawful.

He says a task force, consisting of Police and Immigration officers, began the removal of these individuals.