NUKU’ALOFA (Pacnews) — Another senior journalist at Tonga’s Kele’a newspaper has been arrested on a sedition charge in the island kingdom.
The arrest of Falisi Tupou follows the arrest two weeks ago of the pro-democracy newspaper’s editor Tavake Fusimalohi who was charged with sedition and defamation
Earlier this year, the Kele’a office was forced to close on Sundays after the Defense Force said it was operating illegally and without a proper license during the state of emergency.
The Kele’a office was no longer operating on Sundays but was being closely monitored by police who have arrested a number of staff members, including Tupou.
He was detained by police for overnight over charges of sedition with regards to material that they’ve published against the government and against the king.
One of the statements in the article said that the king is, in the Tongan words, “utukovi,” which literally translates as “bad brain.” That has been viewed as being seditious.
Meanwhile, The Tonga’s People’s representatives facing sedition charges in connection to last November’s riot in Nukualofa have expressed frustration at their cases being deferred yet again.
The five representatives, including leading Pro-Democracy MP Akilisi Pohiva are due in the Magistrate’s Court to settle a date for the actual hearing of their case after it was deferred to give a member of the crown prosecution’s legal team, New Zealand lawyer Peter Little, sufficient time to prepare for the case.