The Wire

An international legal body has expressed serious concern about the deterioration of the rule of law in Fiji since the 2006 coup. That coup brought the current military regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama to power. The report, by the International Bar Association, says that Fiji is suffering as a result of the regime’s interference in the judiciary, the Fijian Human Rights Commission, and the media. But the head of the Fijian Human Rights Commission rejects the report and says the organisation is able to carry out its work independently. The release of the report coincides with the announcement that Fiji will be fully suspended from the Commonwealth if it fails to hold elections within six months.