15 Dec 2015

Fiji AG calls halt to committee meeting on torture

9:10 pm on 15 December 2015

Fiji's Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed - Khaiyum has told Fiji media a parliamentary committee cannot look into allegations of torture.

Fiji Finance Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. Photo: Supplied

FBC news reports a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs and defence was cut short today as it looked into allegations of torture detailed by the Lautoka lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says there is a process that parliamentary standing committees must follow as outlined in the Constitution.

The broadcaster reports the Opposition Leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa, claimed the Attorney-General was subverting parliamentary democracy after his call to the committee's chairman directing him to suspend the deliberations.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says this is well within the law and that his call was simply to advise the chair.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs