The military court martial of a group of 22 Fiji soldiers convicted for their role in the May 2000 coup has jailed them for terms ranging from five and a half to two years.
The soldiers had pleaded guilty to a charge of mutiny in return for having charges of misprision of treason and wrongful confinement of the Chaudhry government dropped.
The soldiers are all highly skilled army engineers who were marched into parliament in support of the coup by then Major Josefa Savua, who was a candidate for the pro-coup Conservative Alliance party in last weekend's by-election.
The president of the court martial, Col Ilaisa Kacisolomone, said the court has recommended that the army re-employ all the soldiers when they have served their terms.
The court martial of more than 30 other soldiers who have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them will begin soon.
