It was a deliberate attack to ruin my reputation and positions – Tabuya

It was a deliberate attack. The attacker's sole purpose was to publicly humiliate, to defame me, to crucify me, to morally judge me, to character assassinate me, to label me all sorts of unsavoury and demeaning names, to lose the faith of all those who voted for me, to lose my job as a minister, to lose my position as a Member of Parliament and to lose my membership in my political party.

This was raised by Member of Parliament Lynda Tabuya during the Safer Internet Day 2025 event today.

She says while the attackers had achieved most of their goals, she remains a Member of Parliament despite the trauma caused to her, her family, friends and loved ones.

Tabuya says there is an urgent need for stronger legal frameworks and international cooperation to combat cyberbullying and protect online privacy.

She urges the commitment of Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale in reviewing and strengthening Fiji’s cyber laws.

Citing Fiji’s ratification of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime in May last year she highlights its role in harmonising national laws, enhancing investigative procedures and facilitating international cooperation to tackle cybercriminals who operate across borders.

She says cybercrime laws must be more efficient, as it took weeks to remove harmful content in her case.

She urges authorities to push for regulations that mandate the removal of such content within 24 to 48 hours.

Tabuya reiterated that sharing private content without consent is a crime under Section 24 of the Online Safety Act, with severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

She calls for tech companies and law enforcement to ensure strict enforcement of these laws.

Tabuya urges victims of cyber violations to pursue legal action, assuring them that law enforcement agencies, strengthened by international cooperation and national laws, are actively addressing these crimes.

She also acknowledges the support of the Fiji Police Force’s Cybercrime Unit in handling her complaint.