9 Jun 2014

Nothing to hide says Vodafone Fiji

11:43 am on 9 June 2014

Vodafone Fiji says it has nothing to hide after a report by its parent company detailed the scope of surveillance by state agencies in 29 countries, including Fiji.

The global telecommunications company said its inaugural Law Enforcement Disclosure report was a call for governments around the world to be more transparent about such activities.

Vodafone Fiji's Managing Director Aslam Khan says the 760 cases listed in the report under Vodafone Fiji relate to call records provided to the police and the courts where a search warrant or court order had been produced.

Mr Khan says the only information provided is the date, time and duration of calls made or text messages sent between two parties.

He says Vodafone Fiji does not have the technical capability in its network to either listen to a telephone conversation or record a phone call or a text message.

The company says there is no law for legal intercept in Fiji.

Mr Khan also says Vodafone Fiji provided the information to the Head Office in the UK and consented to the statistics publication.

Mr Khan says his company strongly believes in freedom of speech and the company wanted to reassure its customers it would not support a requirement which would contravene its customers rights.