Claims of Fiji torture not isolated – Amnesty
Published: 7:03AM Wednesday March 06, 2013 Source: ONE News
Amnesty International says video appearing to show the vicious beating of two Fijian prisoners is just one of several cases it is aware of.
The nine minute video was released online and shows the two men being repeatedly beaten with poles, as they lie huddled on the ground handcuffed and screaming in agony.
Sources have told ONE News one of the victims is prisoner Iowane Benedito, who had escaped from custody, and that the other man featured in the video was accused of harbouring him.
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The attack is believed to have happened last December, and Amnesty International’s Government Relations Manager Amanda Brydon said it was not an isolated incident.
“At the time, in December last year, Amnesty International knew of five prisoners who were tortured and has verified evidence of that and sent the Fijian Government an open letter requesting they have an independent investigation and condemn these crimes,” she told TV ONE’s Breakfast.
Amnesty International is yet to receive a response to its letter and was also aware of another two cases which it was not able to prove.
Brydon said the abuse in the video was consistent with reports the organisation had about police brutality at the time, and it is verifying the footage.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister is speaking with his Fijian counterpart about the video and Prime Minister John Key said the footage was “very alarming”.
“We take it seriously and we expect the Fijian authorities to deal with them appropriately and hold those people who have undertaken those beatings to account,” he said.
Brydon said the attention the video has gained could help improve the circumstances in Fiji.
“Having the public eye on situations like this and the pressure it can build and the outrage not only of New Zealanders but also of Fijians themselves can really help add to the political momentum to make sure these people are held to account and this won’t happen again.”
Fiji response
Fijian authorities last night would only say they understood the two men were recaptured prisoners, and would not confirm if police were involved in the attack.
“Like every Fijian, we were disturbed to see the video that has emerged of what appears to be the abuse of two men who, at this stage, we understand to be recaptured prisoners,” the Fijian police force said in a statement.
“We are not prepared to speculate on the identities of those involved, again so as not to prejudice the investigation.
“But we can assure you all that we are determined to expeditiously resolve this issue and indeed our investigations have already commenced.”
The statement said they had already established the men are not the prisoners who escaped from Naboro last year.
ONE News Pacific Correspondent Barbara Dreaver said “police say they are dedicated to providing security for ordinary Fijians and they say their investigation will be done much in the same way as a similar investigation in New Zea
Categories: Fiji