Results for Tonga Media Laws

In the Privy Council Meeting which was held before the vote over the Media Bills were about to come up in Parliament, I alluded to the fact that that this had become a cause célèbre among large sections of the public and I knew that there was dissent within the Cabinet ranks. ... Clive Edwards made an impassioned submission in support of the legislation. hrh

Only months ago Clive Edwards, as Tonga's Minister of Police and sometimes Acting Prime Minister, was seen by many as the most bull-headed man in the Tongan parliament. Ruthlessly defending and implementing the King's and Royal Family's wishes, and employing his Special Branch Police to spy on the community to isolate dissent, few would doubt that he has been a formidable opponent of Tonga's pro-democracy campaigners ever since he was appointed by the King as a minister in 1996. Interview with Clive Edwards. Part Two. By Pesi Fonua

Tonga's process of law making at the moment is a matter of great concern. The recent overturning by Chief Justice Webster of the conflicting media laws, means we have to take a closer look at how laws are made in this country. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.

Day Four of the Judicial Review challenging the Amendment of Clause 7 of the Constitution last year, concluded the submissions made by the legal counsel Dr Rodney Harrison for the 173 plaintiffs, and Paul Radich for the defendant, the Kingdom of Tonga.

Newspaper activist 'Alani Taione pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the importation of an unlicenced newspaper the Taimi 'o Tonga, and will face trial by jury on a date to be set.

Anyone who has any doubt over the intention of the Tongan government to use its Newspaper Licensing powers to bully the local press must take note of what took place on Monday, March 28, when the editors of three licensed newspapers, the Taumu'alelei, the Talaki and the Tonga Star, were called to the Prime Minister's office to be told off by 'Eseta Fusitu'a, the Registrar of Newspapers.

On February 6 Tonga set its clock back 20 years to the early 1980s, when the only newspapers available were the government newspaper, the Tonga Chronicle, and church newspapers.

The Tongan people, for the last three weeks have been deprived of reading newspapers, including the Tongan government's own newspaper.

The USA government does not like the move by the Tongan government to regulate Press Freedom, according to the USA Ambassador to Tonga, David Laurence Lyon, who visited Tonga January 14-16.