21 Nov 2011

Fiji regime seeks closed court hearing in sedition case

2:33 pm on 21 November 2011

The Magistrates Court in Suva will rule on December the 7th on an application by the Fiji State for a closed court hearing in a sedition case, involving five men.

The Fiji Times says the five, who include a New Zealander Jagath Karunaratne, conspired to writing seditious words in public places and billboards along the Nausori - Suva corridor last August.

They are accused of inciting dissatisfaction against the government of Fiji.

Last week, the High Court in Lautoka ordered the jailing of three men for burning two police posts and writing anti-government comments on sign posts.

The three men were sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four and two years.

The military regime came to power in a coup five years ago and in 2009, it sacked the judiciary after it ruled that the interim government was illegal.