Tonga cyber law seen as way to stop leaks

There are fears Tonga's planned new laws, ostensibly to tackle online abuse, are a device to stop public servants criticising the government.

RNZ Pacific Correspondent, Kalafi Moala, said the government was worried about information being leaked out.

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The Prime Minster Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa told reporters the government wanted to make it an offence to post content that's offensive, threatening, defamatory and that caused distress.

But Moala pointed out there was history behind the latest move which could impact the ability of public servants to use social media.

"Before these regulations came out there was an earlier attempt to pass regulations that would punish people who were putting out what was called 'sensitive information.'

"So there is a tendency at least with this government to try to protect [stop] the leaking of information, whistleblowers and so on."

Earlier Tu'i'onetoa told Kaniva Pacific the so-called Internet Abuse Offences legislation was "a very important bill for the poor people of the nation."

He said people had been bullied and intimidated on social media by others creating fake Facebook accounts to hide their identity.

Last year the government of the late 'Akilisi Pohiva tried to shut down Facebook access over vicious allegations about the royal family.