Fiji needs to protect human rights

Fiji needs to provide an independent judiciary and protect human rights

Fiji’s Interim Government should allow visits by the UN Special Rapporteurs against Torture, on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, and on Human Rights Defenders, says the Citizens’ Constitutional Forum (CCF).

This request has been made to the UN Human Rights Council and the Working Group on Fiji, who are currently conducting the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Fiji. Fiji will be reviewed by the Human Rights Council from 9am – 12pm on Thursday (tomorrow) 11 February 2010. The event can be watched live on: www.un.org/webcast/unhcr/index.asp

Speaking from Geneva, Rev Akuila Yabaki says that the current interim government is failing to protect basic human rights through interference in personal freedoms, the government and judiciary of Fiji. Rev Yabaki made a presentation at a side event for the UPR in Geneva last night. The event facilitated by Lukas Machon from the International Commission of Jurists, was attended by about 30 representatives of international organisations and UN member countries.

“We call on the Interim Government to have elections in Fiji at the earliest possible time. We call on the Government to ensure the independence of the judiciary in Fiji, and to ensure protection of the rights of Human Rights Defenders,” Rev Yabaki said.

In addition, Fiji is being requested to:-
- stop imposition of the Emergency Regulations and media censorship;
- commit to reinstatement of a fully independent civilian judiciary;
- restore the powers and independence of the Fiji Human Rights Commission;
- prevent arbitrary arrests and detentions and refrain from torture;
- refrain from restricting civil and political rights;
- repeal the decree on pensions and other discriminatory laws.

Fiji is being reviewed against the international UN Conventions and Declarations under the UPR process, which now makes it compulsory for each UN member country to be reviewed every four years. CCF’s submission to the UPR is available on the OHCHR and CCF websites.

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