FIJI: Attack on FBC reporter outside court stirs media protests
Another attack on a Fiji journalist is condemned by the Fijian
Media Association. Image: FBC News
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Item: 9833
By Kelly Vacala
SUVA (Asia Pacific Report/Fijian Media Association/FBC News/Pacific Media Watch): The safety of media personnel has come under the spotlight again after an attack on a Fiji Broadcasting Corporation
television journalist on Monday.
FBC’s Praneeta Prakash … stone thrown at her, verbally abused. Image: FBC
A remand prisoner threw a stone at an FBC news reporter while in the presence of a police escort outside the Suva
courts.
The police at the scene refused to take any action against the remand prisoner even though the reporter was also
verbally abused.
FBC journalist Praneeta Prakash was shooting footage of a man sentenced in a corruption related case in Suva when a
remand prisoner being escorted by police to the cell block threw a stone at her which struck her stomach.
Fijian Media Association general secretary Stanley Simpson said reporters covered court stories in order to inform the
public and to ensure that justice was served under the law.
“The journalist needs to be left to do their work because in the end it benefits everyone,” he said.
“We saw a Fiji TV reporter was manhandled, we saw a Fiji Sun reporter get attacked recently, and now we see the terrible incident of a stone being thrown at a journalist.
Journalist ‘has every right’
“In these public spaces, and especially in the public interest, the journalist has every right to be there to take
footage.”
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said a thorough investigation on the incident would be carried out.
“We have had some incidents where members of the public have attacked journalists again. We would request them to
respect the rights of the journalist. They are simply doing their jobs, they’re not breaking any law.”
Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Director Ashwin Raj said it was “deeply concerning” that
journalists were exposed to such situations and they must have a safe environment where media was able to discharge its
duties.
Kelly Vacala is an FBC News journalist.
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