COMPOL Against Media Personnel Harassment

The Fiji Police Force has established a taskforce to investigate reports of harassment on media personnel in public spaces.

In a recent incident outside the High Court in Suva, a photographer was verbally abused and his camera damaged by an accused person who is a former policeman facing murder charges.

This happened when a police officer covered the accused’s face and was shielded by other officers to a waiting police vehicle.

Assistant Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew said this was wrong and shouldn’t have happened.

“That concerned officer should not have covered the suspected person’s head,” he said.

“He should let the accused be escorted normally, because over time, the media and the people will come to know by face who this person is. It is already known that he is a police officer and being charged for murder.”

While ACP Chew wasn’t aware of the number of reports made about this, he said the formation of a taskforce indicated it was a big issue.

Fiji Media Association, general secretary, Stanley Simpson said police should do more to protect journalists.

“Respect, appreciate and understand the hard work of journalists and stop the harassment and attacks against them doing their job,” he said.

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“Journalists are performing a public service at the courthouse by reporting on the cases that appear before our judiciary.”

Mr Simpson said journalists were well within their rights to do their job and freedom of media must be respected.

“People are advised to have conversations with journalists, media organisations or the authorities if they have a grievance or file a complaint with the Fiji Media Council — but not to resort to threats, physical violence or other unlawful actions,” he said.

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