24 Mar 2007

Editor of newspaper in Tonga charged with sedition and defamation

8:45 am on 24 March 2007

The editor of Tonga's Kele'a newspaper, Tavake Fusimalohi has been charged with sedition and defamation.

Tonga's Acting Police Commander, Taniela Faletau, told Matangi Tonga Online that Mr Fusimalohi was arrested on Thursday, but was released on bail because of ill health.

He says Mr Fusimalohi was brought into the station for further interrogation yesterday.

He added that the sedition charge is in relation to articles that were printed in the Kele'a about the Royal family, and the defamation charge was brought in by Joe Ramanlal Jr relating to an article that was published by the Kele'a about him.