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Fiji’s interim Government has condemned a planned visit by the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute next month saying that a number of matters are needed to be ironed out in the judicial system first before they are welcome in the country.
Interim Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the visit will be welcomed but not now.
“The reason we have taken this position is because there are number of matters before various tribunals, including constitutional cases in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, the suspended Chief Justice’s Tribunal, the litigation filed by the suspended Chief Justice in relation to the Tribunal, the Fiji Law Society challenge of the Judicial Services Commission and the Magistrate’s inquiry which will all be prejudiced by an outside visit.”
According to Sayed-Khaiyum the IBA was invited by a group of Fijian lawyers who are also involved in the litigation before the courts.
The group will visit Fiji from the18th to 22nd of next month to examine the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in the country.
“There is a danger that the examination of IBA or any other body at this point in time will trespass into areas which are specifically before the courts and which directly interfere with the independence of those courts.”
Sayed-Khaiyum also questioned the intention of the IBA to only meet with Graham Leung, the former President of the Fiji Law Society.
“Why have they not approached Devanesh Sharma who is the immediate past President or Chen Young who was the President during the 2000 crisis?”
He also said the visit is instigated by people who represent the elite and who want to use the IBA to influence the judiciary and produce a particular result from the judiciary.
