A French Polynesian appeal court has upheld a suspended jail sentence for a union leader, Cyril Legayic, for making statements aimed at inducing racial hatred.
According to Tahitipresse, the court has upheld the suspended three-month prison sentence and ordered him to pay a fine of more than 5,000 US dollars.
The case stems from his remarks to the Nouvelles de Tahiti newspaper in April last year that being governed by an Asian is frightening.
The comment was made after Gaston Tong Sang, whose family arrived from China more than a century ago, was elected president for a second time.
The Human Rights League, which took the matter to court, is to be paid 900 US dollars.
Its lawyer says every time a person has such an outburst, it's necessary for the judiciary to respond.
