Fiji Lawyers Concerned After Police Seize Computers with Confidential Client Information

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji - Fiji’s police have seized the computers of three prominent lawyers which may contain confidential client information belonging to ousted members of Fiji’s federal government.

The President of the Fiji Law Society, Dorsami Naidu, confirmed that those computers were taken from a police station in Suva, Fiji’s capital city.

Jon Apted, Richard Naidu and Tevita Fa’s computers were seized allegedly because of their suspected involvement with an anti-government blog site.

Recently, the interim government imposed emergency regulations on the media which forces journalists to cast the government in a positive light. All published material must first go through the Ministry of Information, Major Neumi Leweni.

But the lawyers are concerned about the confidential client information contained on those computers. Tevita Fa is also the lawyer for the ousted prime minister, Laisenia Qarase. Fa is concerned that the interim government may have access to his clients’ information.

“There’s a lot of confidential matters. I mean anyone who goes to a solicitor relies on confidentiality and there may be a lot of information and other data and there’s no guarantee that the police will not abuse their powers of search in this case,” Fa said.

Meanwhile, Fiji police have not confirmed that they have seized any of the lawyers’ property.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International - Fiji police seize computers of three prominent lawyers - 20 May 2009

ABC, Radio Australia News - Fijian lawyers questioned by police - 20 May 2009

ABC, Radio Australia News - Grassroots crime rising as Fiji law in limbo - 20 May 2009

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