Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Fiji regime takes another journalist into custody

Posted at 03:06 on 14 May, 2009 UTC

Another journalist has been detained in Fiji, over a story published in the Fiji Times on Monday.

The newspaper says Labasa-based journalist Theresa Ralogaivau was taken in by police at around 10a.m. today.

The story is believed to be one about a community in Labasa being terrorised by a group of drug growers.

Our correspondent Matelita Ragogo says the story quotes the police spokesperson, Atunaisa Sokomuri, but he now denies he spoke to the journalist.

“In that context they are now claiming that because she never spoke to [him] she is in breach of the Public Emergency Regulations. Plus, it was passed by the censor at the Fiji Times head office. This just brings us back to the fact that there doesn’t seem to be any standards.”

Matelita Ragogo.

Last week, the interim government extended its emergency regulations for another month, forcing the media to publish only stories that cast a positive light on the interim regime.