Mosese Raqio 
Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has described the assault on an FBC senior journalist outside court as embarrassing, saying the incident highlights a clear lapse in police vigilance.
Rabuka says he welcomes the strong response issued by Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalurua, who has called for greater alertness and tighter escort protocols for accused and convicted persons leaving court.
He says while police must uphold the rights of accused persons, they also have a responsibility to protect the public — including journalists who work in close proximity to offenders during court coverage.
Rabuka says maintaining proper separation between offenders and the public may now be necessary to prevent further incidents. He also condemned negative social media comments blaming the journalist, saying every worker has the right to operate in a safe environment.
“This idea that it was the journalist’s fault is unacceptable. They have a job to do, and they deserve a safe place to do it.”
Minister Naivalurua also stressed that the assault is part of a pattern of past incidents in which media personnel were chased, threatened, sworn at, or had their equipment damaged outside courtrooms.
He says no journalist in Fiji should ever be assaulted, intimidated or obstructed while lawfully carrying out their work, and added that the Fiji Police Force has both a legal and moral obligation to ensure their safety.
Naivalurua says repeated lapses in courthouse security, and the failure to prevent such incidents, are unacceptable, and police must act immediately to restore public confidence.
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