The International Commission of Jurists has called on the Fiji military to immediately restore power to the elected civilian government.
The ICJ says the military must also abide by international human rights standards and international law.
The ICJ says it is a false legal argument to use the Doctrine of Necessity to justify the seizure of power.
It is also concerned by allegations that freedom of speech has been unnecessarily curtailed and that people are being arbitrarily detained.
The ICJ also says that the military should not be silencing peaceful and legitimate protests being made by civil society.
It says it is only through peaceful dialogue and debate that there will be a democratic resolution to the current situation in Fiji.
