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Articles - Fiji

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Fiji

Repeal of emergency rule has not led to media freedom, say IFEX members

Fiji's military leadership has lifted emergency rule - in place for nearly three years - but has swiftly imposed other restrictions on the media in its place, say the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Fiji

New press law gives sweeping powers to military regime

New media legislation in Fiji permits government-appointed officials to arbitrarily seize media equipment and documents, force journalists to reveal their sources and fine media organisations up to $100,000 Fiji Dollars (around US $53,000), report the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and other IFEX members.

Fiji

Foreign journalists deported, media censored in state of emergency

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) are demanding that Fiji's military government stop deporting journalists and censoring the media after the government declared a 30-day state of emergency last week.

Fiji

LÍDERES DE GOLPE DE ESTADO SE HACEN DE CONTROL DE MEDIOS

Fiji

LES DIRIGEANTS DU COUP D'ÉTAT S'ASSURENT DE LEUR MAINMISE SUR LES MÉDIAS

Fiji

COUP LEADERS SEIZE CONTROL OF MEDIA

Fiji's press is under siege following a military coup on 4 December 2006 that toppled the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, report the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Fiji

PLANTEAN INQUIETUDES ACERCA DE LEY DE RADIO Y TELEVISIÓN

Fiji

UN PROJET DE LOI SUR LA RADIODIFFUSION INQUIÈTE

Fiji

Radio en una maleta contrarresta marginación de voces de mujeres

Fiji

Une station de radio dans une mallette fait sortir la voix des femmes de la marginalité

Fiji

CONCERNS RAISED OVER BROADCASTING BILL

Fiji's parliament has tabled a bill that, if passed, would give the government powers to control broadcast media, warn the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), ARTICLE 19 and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Fiji

Suitcase Radio Brings Fijian Women's Voices out of the Margins

22 August 2006

Fiji

LA PINA FAIT L?ÉLOGE DES MÉDIAS LOCAUX QUI FONT FACE À DES PRESSIONS

Fiji

PINA ELOGIA MEDIOS LOCALES DE FRENTE A PRESIONES

Fiji

PINA COMMENDS LOCAL MEDIA IN FACE OF PRESSURES

"Fiji's independent news media are operating as normal and without censorship even though martial law has been declared and an interim military government has taken over running the country," reports the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA). On 29 May, the Fijian Military Forces assumed power under the head of Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Bainimarama says that the military has taken over with "much reluctance" due to "the rapid breakdown in law and order" since the attempted coup on 19 May, notes PINA. The military also took control due to the stalemate reached in negotiations to free former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and parliamentarians still being held by attempted coup leader George Speight.

Fiji

GOBIERNO PROMULGARÁ PROYECTO DE LEY DE LIBERTAD DE INFORMACIÓN

Fiji

LE GOUVERNEMENT ENTEND LÉGIFÉRER SUR LA LIBERTÉ DE L?INFORMATION

Fiji

GOVERNMENT TO ENACT FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL

On 3 February, the Fiji Islands government announced that it intends to pass proposed freedom of information bills in the next six months, reports the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA). The result of a 1996 review of all media legislation in Fiji commissioned by the previous government, the proposed freedom of information bill would replace the Official Secrets Act and Press Correction Act from British colonial times. The legislation would grant the public the right "to correct errors in information about them held by the government." The government would also be required to publish information on the functions of its various agencies, and PINA reports that "the ombudsman may also be given the responsibility to review the government's information practices." Attorney-General Anand Singh, who made the announcement, stated that the laws will be based partly on Australian and New Zealand's freedom of information acts. The freedom of information law would apply to "all government ministries, departments and offices.... [except] the indigenous-Fijian Bose Levu Vakaturaga (council of chiefs), the president and his office, government-owned businesses, the court system, and commissions of inquiry," says PINA.

Fiji

NUEVO LÍDER PROMETE NO PONER EN PRÁCTICA LEYES DE MEDIOS

Fiji

LE NOUVEAU DIRIGEANT PROMET DE NE PAS APPLIQUER LES LOIS SUR LES MÉDIAS

Fiji

NEW LEADER PROMISES NOT TO IMPLEMENT MEDIA LAWS

On 21 May, Mahendra Chaudhry, the new prime minister of the Fiji Islands, promised not to pass any laws against the media or impose media licensing, according to the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA). However, "The Fiji Times" also reports that Chaudhry accused the media of bias during the elections and claimed they needed to be better educated. He said, "I think the media should be fair. We won't bring in any legislation, no licensing, but I hope there will be training in media organisations." Chaudhry said news media during election time are responsible to the people and not to company shareholders, and he said the new government would examine the best way to give up 44 percent of government shares in Fiji's second daily newspaper, the "Daily Post". PINA notes, "The previous government, dominated by indigenous Fijians, caused a controversy by buying these shares and becoming the main shareholder in the "Daily Post" three months before the general election." Chaudhry said it was not the government's job to run a newspaper.

Fiji

LEY DE INFORMACIÓN REEMPLAZARÁ LEY DE SECRETOS OFICIALES

Fiji

UNE LOI SUR LES RENSEIGNEMENTS REMPLACERA CELLE SUR LES SECRETS OFFICIELS

Fiji

INFORMATION ACT TO REPLACE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT

The Fiji Islands will replace the Official Secrets Act with a new Official Information Act, reportsthe Pacific Islands News Association (PINA). The public was invited to make submissions and ata Fiji Media Council meeting on 21 December 1998, "the country's newspapers, magazines,radio and television stations decided they would each make their own submissions," says PINA."The proposed freedom of information laws will cover almost all government ministries,departments and offices," says PINA, except the indigenous Fijian Bose Levu Vakaturaga(council of chiefs), the President and his office, government-owned businesses, the court system,commissions of inquiry, and the Fiji Intelligence Service.