Fiji: Attorney General Boycotts News Media

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ATTORNEY GENERAL BOYCOTTS NEWS MEDIA
pinacd@connect.com.fj

SUVA (PINA/IFEX/Pacific Media Watch): The Fiji Attorney General, Qoriniaisi Bale, says he is boycotting the media and blames it for fuelling the current tension between the government and the military.

The Attorney General has been widely criticised about his decision to release convicted Vice President Jope Seniloli just three-and-a-half months into his four-year jail sentence.

The primary criticism - which the press covered - came from the military objecting not only to how the Compulsory Supervisory Order for Seniloli's release was brought about, and the head of the military, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, warned the country could be rocked by another coup unless Bale is reined in.

The Vice-President resigned the same day.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Bale says the government is unimpressed by the media's response to the row.

"We have been unhappy with the media. We believe the media is really just helping to aggravate the situation further. And for that reason I have told even the local media that I don't wish to say anything more about all this."

As the government and military differ, the Citizens Constitutional Forum has lodged a complaint with the Fiji Law Society saying the early release of Seniloli was corrupt and the Attorney General should be struck off the list of legal practitioners.

+++niuswire

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