Pacific

Fiji human rights commission receives 19 complaints of human rights abuse

11:27 am on 6 February 2007

The Fiji Human Rights Commission has received 19 complaints of human rights abuses by the security forces.

The Fiji Sun quotes the commission director, Dr Shaista Shameem, as saying they are processing these complaints for further action and have sought answers from the military and the police through the office of the attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum.

Mr Sayed-Khayum says his office is facilitating the provision of information so the Human Rights Commission can continue with its investigations.

He has stressed that the State of Emergency Decree is still in force.

But Dr Shameem says there are no limitations in the Bill of Rights provisions of the constitution and they still apply in situations such as the current one.