6 Sep 2013

Fiji police release 14 anti-constitution protestors

2:58 pm on 6 September 2013

Fiji police have released 14 people, who were arrested outside Government House in Suva while peacefully protesting against the assent of the country's constitution.

Police reportedly turned up and said they had to put away their placard, but they refused and were taken away.

Those arrested were from the Fiji Women's Rights Movement, the Pacific Centre for Peace-building and other Fiji citizens.

The executive director of the Fiji Women's Rights Movement, Virisila Buadromo, says it was a silent, peaceful protest outside the President's residence to say the constitution is unjust and does not reflect the views of 7,000 people who made submissions on an earlier draft.

Fiji's President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau will formally assent to the 2013 Constitution later today.

The Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has earlier said there was good feedback from people and the international community on the document.

It has been strongly criticised by Fiji political parties, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.