5 May 2014

No snooping, says Fiji Election Supervisor

1:46 pm on 5 May 2014

The Fiji Election Supervisor, Mohammed Saneem, has told Fiji media that his office will not spy on voters to police Section 63 of the regime's Electoral Decree.

The regime threatens people in Fiji with up to ten years in jail if they are caught making an election-related comment on the phone or via the internet in the two days before the September election.

Mr Saneem, who is tasked with enforcing the decree, has told the Fijilive website that certain activities are not monitored by his office.

Last month, a Vodafone spokesperson said it lacked the facilities to monitor calls and text messages, and its process for accessing phone records could only be done through a police or court search warrant.

The president of the Fiji Law Society, Dorsami Naidu, said a provision restricting all citizens was very unusual, and in breach of freedom of speech, expression and privacy.