16 Jan 2007

Fiji interim administration says State of Emergency still in place

10:38 am on 16 January 2007

Fiji's military appointed interim administration has stressed that the State of Emergency Decree imposed after the coup last month is still in force.

Radio Legend quotes the interim attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum, as saying the emergency decree will remain in place until the security situation reaches acceptable levels.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says certain rights and freedoms can be restricted under the emergency decree as provided for under the constitution.

These include personal liberty, freedom from servitude and forced labour, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, labour relations and privacy.

Rights and freedoms which cannot be restricted include the right to life, freedom from cruel or degrading treatment, freedom from unreasonable searches or seizure, rights of arrested and detained persons, access to courts and the right to religion and belief.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says he met with the interim prime minister, Commodore Bainimarama and members of the military and the police.

He says they were briefed on the military's interviewing methods and its re-education and correctional exercises.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says they were told Fiji is still in a state of high alert on matters of national security as some weapons are still unaccounted for since the 2000 coup and there are groups who are still planning to destabilize the country.

The interim attorney general says the military will stop investigating complaints against members of the public unless they involve national security issues.