10 Feb 2014

Nauru rejects NZ politican claims, demands apology

10:25 am on 10 February 2014

The Government of Nauru says it rejects statements by the New Zealand Green Party and is calling for an unreserved apology.

Jan Logie reacted to Nauru deporting its resident magistrate and others, including a former Government media advisor, as well as the cancellation of the visa of the chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Ms Logie said interfering with the judiciary is part of Nauru's efforts to shut down criticism of what Amnesty International calls a 'human rights catastrophe' in its detention camps.

The Nauru Government says her comments are Ill-informed, inflammatory, diplomatically irresponsible and unacceptable.

It says the country is not in chaos, and the rule of law is operating and respected.

It says Ms Logie and her party are promoting a culture of international bullying, arrogance and racism by attempting to interfere in the sovereign right of Nauru to determine who it appoints to key roles in the country.

The Nauru parliament recently passed amendments to its Immigration Act in what deported permanent resident Rod Henshaw called a move to a dictatorship.