FIJI – New accusations of police brutality with claims of torture and rape have surfaced in Fiji.

A lawyer says local police tortured nine men last month, with one officer also attempting to rape one of the victims.

Lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh said nine policemen arrived at Waikubakuba village on Viti Levu in two vehicles on the afternoon of January 26, picked up eight of the men and took them to the Nadarivatu Community Police Post.

“They proceeded to torture these men by punching them, kicking them, slapping them, using police batons on their bodies, using three-by-two wood and also using cane.

“During the torture they were trying to extract information regarding cultivation of marijuana,” he said.

He said the beatings lasted about two hours and the men were later released without being charged.

“There are photos which show bruising on their backs, arms, necks, legs, calves. It was an all-out brutality session by nine police officers against eight young men.”

“One police officer had also attempted to poke one of the victims with a police baton – he attempted to violate his anus and that in my view is attempted rape.”

Ravindra-Singh said a ninth man was picked up from Tavua further north and beaten while lying handcuffed on a bridge, blocked off by vehicles.

“The music on the police car radio was put up very high so his screams were drowned and he was made to lie on his side and he was kicked and punched and beaten with police batons as he screamed in agony and cried to have these people stop the torture on him.

“One of the police batons had a screw protruding out. That screw was used to then stab his wrists and also his ankle.”

Ravindra-Singh said all the men were badly injured.

He said three of the men “plucked up courage” to go to hospital a few days afterwards.

He said he was gathering more evidence and planned to make a police report by Friday.

He said he was made aware of the case on Friday and seven of the alleged victims have since come forward.

Ravindra-Singh expressed doubt about whether anything would come of reporting the incident to the authorities.

“The Human Rights Commission in Fiji, as I maintain, is actually an extension of the regime and what they do.

“All torture cases which have been reported in the past have not seen the light of day.”

He said he would also be putting the statements, photographs and medical reports to the human rights community.

- RNZI