Fiji: Human Rights

Publisher Marketing: Fiji is a republic that has been under a military-led government since armed forces commander Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a bloodless coup in 2006. In 2009 the interim government headed by Prime Minister Bainimarama abrogated the existing constitution, imposed a state of emergency, and continued its rule by decree, a situation that continued at year's end. During the year the country had no parliament. On September 6, the government promulgated a new constitution. Military authorities controlled the security services. Security forces reportedly committed human rights abuses. The leading human rights problems included the government's continued denial of citizens' right to change their government peacefully; government harassment and intimidation of the media, resulting in self-censorship; and government targeting of political opponents and human rights and labor activists for harassment, including through restrictions on political meetings and protests, and, in some cases, for prosecution. The Public Order Act Amendment Decree (POAD) restricts freedoms of speech, assembly, and movement. The POAD, media decree, and other decrees promulgated since the 2006 coup remained in force under the new constitution. Freedom of the press remained restricted, although some criticisms of the government were printed, and the print and broadcast media began to cover opposition views and activities with less self-censorship. Other human rights problems included cases of police and military abuse of persons in custody; poor prison conditions; interference with judicial independence; government corruption; violence and discrimination against women; sexual exploitation of children; deep ethnic divisions; and restrictions on trade union and collective bargaining rights.