30 Mar 2020

Fiji's Tabuya charged with breaching public order act

11:13 am on 30 March 2020

Fiji's Opposition Whip Lynda Tabuya has been charged for breaching the Public Order Act and will appear in court today.

Ms Tabuya was detained by police last week over allegations of "malicious writings of false news or reports tending to create or foster public alarm and anxiety".

Sodelpa MP Lynda Tabuya.

Sodelpa MP Lynda Tabuya. Photo: Fiji Government

The SODELPA MP missed the Covid-19 Budget presentation in parliament on Friday because of the detention.

Fiji's human rights commissioner, Ashwin Raj, visited Ms Tabuya and said police had examined her phone records and searched her home.

Mr Raj also visited former Fiji First candidate Nemani Bainivalu who was detained by police over a similar offence.

Both arrests relate to alleged social media comments on the government's Covid-19 measures.

Earlier, transgender advocate Isireli Biumaitotoya was taken in for questioning over a similar offence but was later released.