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Fiji reminded of press freedom’s importance in tackling Covid-19 printable version

28 Apr 2020: posted by the editor - Health, Human Rights, Fiji

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns an op-ed by a pro-government military commander in Fiji defending curbs on freedom of expression and freedom of the press in order to enforce the lockdown imposed by the government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

“In times of such national emergency such as this [...] war against Covid-19, our leaders have good reasons to stifle criticism of their policies by curtailing freedom of speech and freedom of the press,” Brigadier-General Jone Kalouniwai wrote in an op-ed in the pro-government Fiji Sun newspaper on 22 April.

Gen. Kalouniwai, who is Republic of Fiji Military Forces chief of staff and is regarded as close to Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, went on to voice “deep concerns about this enemy within, which have been fuelled by irresponsible citizens selfishly [...] questioning the rationale of our leader’s decision to impose such restrictions.”

“No authority, and certainly not a military officer, should be arguing in favour of placing any kind of curb on press freedom,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “These comments recall the worst time of the Fijian military dictatorship from 2006 to 2014. We urge the Fijian government to do what is necessary to guarantee the right of its citizens to inform and be informed, which is an essential ally in combatting the spread of the virus.”

In late March, after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the western city of Lautoka, police manning a roadblock outside the city prevented delivery of the Fiji Times, the country’s only independent daily. Its pro-government rival, the Fiji Sun, was meanwhile distributed without any problem.

Fiji is ranked 52nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

Tags: Covid-19, coronavirus, press freedom, censorship

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