The Fiji Human Rights Commission says the Australian National University has discredited itself for publishing a book about Fiji that suggests that the December coup was illegal.
The Commission in Suva says the illegality of the coup is presumed as there has been no ruling on the matter.
It says this also discredits the book's authors, ANU academics Jon Fraenkel and Stewart Firth.
The commission says such unsubstantiated pronouncements will add to the difficulty in Fiji to move forward.
A case challenging the coup, which was brought by members of the ousted SDL-led government, is to be heard in Suva from next week.
The first interim prime minister chosen by the military after the December coup, Dr Jona Senilagakali, has said the coup was illegal.
