Tonga's Emergency Powers extended for another month [1]
Monday, June 18, 2007 - 19:34. Updated on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 10:14.
Tonga's Emergency Powers for Public Safety and Public Order Regulations 2007 have been extended for another 30 days, beginning on June 15.
Paula Ma'u the Acting Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office said today, that this is the second extension of the Emergency Powers (Maintenance of Public Order) Regulations 2007, that came into effect for the first time on May 16 replacing the Emergency Powers Regulations 2006.
Paula said that under the Emergency Powers Regulations 2007 some powers that were given to the Tonga Police and Tonga Defence Services under the 2006 regulations have been removed.
Under the new Regulation, they can no longer enforce the prohibition of any meeting of five or more persons or stop a person with or without warrant to search if under suspicion.
Paula said that the need for extension of the powers is just taking further precautions because the police are still receiving threats and certain people were still being targeted.
He added that they also had received requests from the community of Kolomotu'a to extend the Emergency Powers Regulations powers because they feel safer, because they know that they have immediate protection if anything were to take place.