No charges for meeting without permit

FIJI– Fiji’s DPP has decided there’s no evidence to charge six prominent Fijians detained and questioned over a meeting last month.

Jone Dakuvula, Sitiveni Rabuka, Mahendra Chaudhry, Biman Prasad, Tupeni Baba, and Attar Singh were arrested and detained on the 10th and 11th of September on suspicion of having breached the Public Order Act.

Dakuvula’s NGO Pacific Dialogue held the meeting to discuss the constitution on Fiji’s Constitution Day.

Christopher Pryde said it was clear there was no intention to attend the meeting in breach of the Act, which says a permit from the police is required.

He also criticised the Fiji police for taking five days after the event to take the men in for questioning, and said the police should not have been so selective in who they chose to detain and question.

Pryde said Jone Dakuvula was the only one responsible to seek a permit, and he should have done so, but said the Public Order Act didn’t provide an offence for failing to apply for a permit. - RNZI