There are again calls in Fiji for more to be done to curb what's described as a culture of violence in both the police and prisons service.
Fiji police. Photo: Facebook / Fiji Police Force
The police say they're investigating an incident in which a man was thrown off a bridge by officers last month.
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The man was hospitalised, and the commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho, said nine officers had been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation, which was understood to still be underway.
But so far, the only person arrested in relation to the attack is an opposition MP, Pio Tikoduadua, who posted a video to Facebook detailing the assault.
The police said he was arrested because the video "statements causing public alarm."
Pio Tikoduadua in the video posted to his Facebook page, from the bridge where the assault took place. Photo: Facebook / Pio Tikoduadua
But last week, the Director of Public Prosecutions threw out the case, saying there was insufficient evidence.
Mr Tikoduaduda now planned to sue the police.
"I am doing this specifically because I believe my rights have been breached, through the process of my being arrested," he said.
Then, a week ago, the Guardian published a story in which four former prison officers accused the corrections commissioner, Francis Kean, of routinely ordering the beating and mistreatment of prisoners.
Mr Kean, who is prime minister Frank Bainimarama's brother-in-law and was convicted of manslaughter in 2007, waged a brutal campaign of intimidation, coercion, and violence, they said.
"The fact that they're saying there were direct orders from the top around mistreating prisoners and in order to turn this around restore its reputation, they do need to look into these allegations and they need to make sure that any investigation is independent, effective and impartial," said Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International's Pacific researcher.
Francis Kean, the government, or the prime minister were yet to comment on any of the allegations.
Photo: Amnesty International
Kate Schuetze told Dateline Pacific that despite years of promises from the government to crack down on the violence, little is changing.
"It's not enough just to say on principle they do not tolerate this, they need to follow through with actions and accountability to make sure this doesn't continue to happen," she said. "Unfortunately what we have seen in the past, what we're continuing to see now is that Fiji is more interested in criticising and condemning those who speak out against torture rather than punishing the perpetrators."
Ms Schuetze drew to numerous examples in recent years; most notably a case where a video emerged of officers viscously beating a man, and the person who filmed and leaked it was the first to be disciplined.
"We've seen failings in the past ... these cases get highlighted in the media and then they become a blip and there's no follow through by the Fiji government to try and get to the bottom of those cases and hold those people to account."
"Of course there are some exceptions to that, however that seems to be the exception rather than the norm.
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