20 Apr 2012

Fiji union leader says interim PM and police didn't act on military beating claim

11:48 am on 20 April 2012

The national secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress says the police and interim prime minister were aware of his alleged beating by military personnel last year but never acted.

Fiji police say Felix Anthony is more than welcome to lodge a complaint about the allegations but Mr Anthony hopes it's not just a public relations exercise.

He says given Commodore Frank Bainimarama launched a verbal attack on him just before military officers took him away, he believes his subsequent beating was carried out with the interim prime minister's knowledge.

Mr Anthony says he will lodge a complaint with police now but says it could be futile.

"The international community, the various trade union bodies, filed protest letters with the prime minister stating that I was assaulted and this was absolutely unacceptable, no action was taken."

The national secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress Felix Anthony.