The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, criticises the recent deportation of Fiji Sun publisher Russell Hunter.

According to information before IPI, the office of Fiji’s Defence and Immigration Minister issued a statement claiming that Hunter had acted in a manner that was ‘prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, security and stability of the sovereign state of the Fiji Islands.’ The Fiji Sun had recently published reports concerning the tax affairs of interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudry. Hunter, an Australian national, was detained on 25 February by men claiming to be Immigration Department officials, and was subsequently declared a ‘security risk’ and a prohibited immigrant. He was deported on 26 February. A High Court injunction prohibiting Hunter’s deportation had been issued, although it is unclear whether the imposition of that measure was communicated to the relevant authorities in time to stop his expulsion.

Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who came to power following a military coup in December 2006, issued a statement on the day of Hunter’s deportation assuring the public that media freedom in Fiji is “secure and guaranteed”. However, recent developments in Fiji, which include the January arrest of a TV crew for disobeying police orders, suggest otherwise. In that incident, a Fiji TV reporter and a cameraman were detained, arrested and interrogated for five hours by police officers, while covering a dispute between a school’s principal and administration, despite having permission from the administration to film.

“The 2006 coup led by Bainimarama was followed by several disturbing incidents, such as death threats against newspaper staff and the threat of deportation against the Fiji Post’s editor-in-chief, and IPI is concerned that recent events represent a return to that state of affairs,” said IPI Director David Dadge.

He added, “Bainimarama’s claims of favouring a return to democracy will continue to ring hollow until his government accepts that true democracies permit even critical reporting. IPI strongly urges for the reversal of the decision declaring Hunter a prohibited immigrant, and further calls on the authorities to stop using Fijian immigration laws to silence outspoken journalists.”