The military-controlled government of Fiji has imposed restrictions on foreign media ownership and jail terms for journalists whose work violates the "public interest or order". Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has publically condemned the Fiji Media Decree which went into effect Monday. The decree, the full title of which is "The Media Industry Development Decree 2010", implements restrictions on foreign media ownership and jail terms for journalists whose work violates the "public interest or order". The decree also introduces a new media code and complaints authority. Various news, media and press coroporations, including News Limited have been handed a sanction by the military controlled government, under Frank Bainimarama to sell or close 90\% of their Fijian branches. The mandate also extends to imprisoning journalist who are deemed against "public order". Four years after ousting the former democratically elected Qarase government, the sanction entitled 'The Media Industry Development Decree 2010' follows strings of intimidation of reporters by soldiers, deportation of foreign new media executives and censorship of "negative" stories about the current military administration. Attorney-General of Fiji , Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum claims that foreign media outlets are "purveyors of negativity", an argument that the entire administration defends. Chairman of News Limited, John Hartigan has criticised former Prime Ministers John Howard and Kevin Rudd of Australia, for not pressuring the military leaders of Fiji into holding elections. Fiji is currently suspended from the Commonwealth for the same reasons.
The military-controlled government of Fiji has imposed restrictions on foreign media ownership and jail terms for journalists whose work violates the "public interest or order". Australia's Foreign Minister has publically condemned the Fiji Media Decree which went into effect Monday. The decree, the full title of which is "The Media Industry Development Decree 2010", implements restrictions on foreign media ownership and jail terms for journalists whose work violates the "public interest or order". The decree also introduces a new media code and complaints authority. Various news, media and press coroporations, including News Limited have been handed a sanction by the military controlled government, under to sell or close 90\% of their Fijian branches. The mandate also extends to imprisoning journalist who are deemed against "public order". Four years after ousting the former democratically elected Qarase government, the sanction entitled 'The Media Industry Development Decree 2010' follows strings of intimidation of reporters by soldiers, deportation of foreign new media executives and censorship of "negative" stories about the current military administration. Attorney-General of Fiji claims that foreign media outlets are "purveyors of negativity", an argument that the entire administration defends. Chairman of News Limited, John Hartigan has criticised former Prime Ministers John Howard and Kevin Rudd of Australia, for not pressuring the military leaders of Fiji into holding elections. Fiji is currently suspended from the for the same reasons.
D
Stephen Smith
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Frank Bainimarama
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, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
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Commonwealth