Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Fiji PM defends reasons for travel ban on lawyer

Posted at 08:03 on 17 July, 2007 UTC

Fiji’s interim prime minister says Suva lawyer Graham Leung will be on the travel ban list for sometime because he has been going overseas and misleading people about what is happening in Fiji.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama has told Radio Legend Mr Leung’s attempt to catch a flight out of Nadi yesterday was a publicity stunt.

He says Mr Leung knew from last week that he would not be allowed to travel and is questioning why he was at the airport with members of the legal fraternity and the Law Society.

Commodore Bainimarama says Mr Leung should know that he has been travelling to countries in the region and lying about the situation in Fiji.

The Commodore says Mr Leung has been making plenty of noise about human rights but no one has heard anything from him and the Law Society about the rights of the people who have been denied the freedom to travel to New Zealand and Australia.