Activist charged with importing newspaper to Tonga [1]
Wednesday, March 3, 2004 - 16:09. Updated on Monday, May 5, 2014 - 11:59.
'Alani Taione, a self-proclaimed Media Activist, from New Zealand, is the first person to be charged under Tonga's controversial new Newspaper Act.
'Alani's scheduled appearance at the Police Magistrate's Court, Nuku'alofa on March 4 has been postponed until March 24, when he will face charges of distributing the newspaper Taimi 'o Tonga without a distribution licence.
'Alani made the news when he arrived at Tonga's Fua'amotu International airport on February 12 and started handing out the Tongan language newspaper Taimi 'o Tonga to people at the air terminal. The Taimi 'o Tonga is published in New Zealand.
'Alani was later arrested and charged on February 16 for distributing the newspaper at the airport. Under the new Newspaper Act a licence must be acquired before anyone is allowed to import and distribute foreign newspapers.
'Alani has publicly stated that he brought the newspaper with him for distribution to the public to test the new law.
The penalty on conviction under the law is a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both.