10 Jun 2003

Tongan Supreme Court issues injunction against latest government ban on newspaper

7:26 am on 10 June 2003

Tonga's Supreme Court has issued an injunction clearing the way for the banned Taimi O Tonga newspaper to be distributed in the country.

Supreme Court Justice Gordon Ward has granted an injunction sought by the newspaper's publishers against the government and eleven individual ministers.

The injunction says the government cannot treat the Times of Tonga as a prohibited, unauthorised or restricted import.

The government is ordered to immediately withdraw any instructions to prevent the free movement of the paper into the country.