Tonga

(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 16 February 2004 IFJ media release: IFJ still concerned for democracy and media freedom in Tonga The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, stands by its statement expressing concern over the so-called “momentary delay” of the distribution of newspapers in […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has criticised Tongan King Taufaahau Tupou IV’s decision to sign constitutional amendments and reintroduce press laws that allow his government to maintain a ban on the independent newspaper “Taimi o’ Tonga”. The king signed the amendments into law on 5 December 2003. The king’s actions pose a serious threat to free expression […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 28 May 2003, RSF protested what it called the “illegal” refusal of the Tongan government to allow copies of the newspaper “Taimi ‘o Tonga” into the country, despite a 26 May Supreme Court order lifting a three-month-old ban. RSF called on the prime minister, Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, to respect the court’s […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 4 April 2003, the Pacific Islands news service PINA Nius reported that the Tongan authorities have introduced a tough new media law which, the government says, cannot be subject to judicial review by the courts. The move came immediately after the kingdom’s Supreme Court said the government’s earlier bans on the New […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 2 April 2003, Radio and Television Tonga News reported that five Tongans involved in a television debate on their government’s ban on the New Zealand-published newspaper “Times of Tonga” have been charged with contempt of court. The debate was carried on one of the kingdom’s privately-owned television stations, operated by Oceania Broadcasting […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 27 February 2003, PINA condemned the Tongan government’s ban on the import of the “Times of Tonga” (“Taimi ‘o Tonga”) newspaper into the kingdom. PINA appealed to the Tongan prime minister, Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, to urgently reconsider the ban on the New Zealand-based twice-weekly newspaper. On 27 February, the Tongan government […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 27 February 2003, RSF protested the Tongan government’s ban on the privately-owned twice-weekly newspaper “Taimi ‘o Tonga” (“Times of Tonga”), which recently denounced corruption in the country and a decision by King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV to build a cigarette factory. “The government’s ban earlier this week on importing the paper from New […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 12 December 2002, the Pacific Islands news service PINA Nius reported that two Tongan journalists and a pro-democracy parliamentarian were awarded nearly US$26,000 in damages over their wrongful jailing in 1996. PINA Nius quoted the Tongan Supreme Court as saying “Times of Tonga” publisher and journalist Kalafi Moala, his then editor Filokalafi […]

(PINA/IFEX) – A Tonga-based editor and reporter from the “Times of Tonga” have been charged by police following reports about the alleged wealth of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency reported on 4 March 2002. The weekly “Times of Tonga” is published in Auckland, New Zealand, but circulates widely in the […]

(CPJ/IFEX) -On 19 June 1998, Michael J. Field, a correspondent for the news agency Agence France-Presse, requested permission to visit Tonga to report on the upcoming 80th birthday of His Majesty Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, King of Tonga. He received a response on 23 June, in the form of a letter written by Police Minister Clive […]

(PINA/IFEX) – As reported in the IFEX alert of 24 June 1998, Mike Field, the Agence France-Presse bureau chief based in New Zealand, continues to have difficulty entering the Pacific Islands kingdom of Tonga. Field, a New Zealander, applied for permission to visit the kingdom for major celebrations marking the 80th birthday of King Taufa’ahau […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Tongan Pro-Democracy Movement Member of Parliament and publisher ‘Akilisi Pohiva was convicted of two defamation charges and fined in the Magistrate’s Court in the Tongan capital, Nuku’alofa, on 30 March 1998. **Updates IFEX alert dated 10 March 1998** Magistrate Vusenga Helu fined Pohiva 500 pa’anga ($US 336), or in default six months’ imprisonment, […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Tongan Pro-Democracy Movement parliamentarian and publisher Akilisi Pohiva has been acquitted by the kingdom’s Supreme Court of a criminal libel charge brought against him by the government. The charge followed a 1994 interview Pohiva gave to the United States’ newspaper, the “Wall Street Journal”, and comments he later made in his own publication, […]

On 20 September 1996, Kalafi Moala, editor of the “Times of Tonga”, deputy editor Filokalafi ‘Akau’ola, as well as member of Parliament (MP) Akilisi Pohiva, were found in contempt of Parliament and sentenced to 30 days in jail, to be served immediately. The decision, handed down by the royal-dominated Legislative Assembly, was in regard to […]

Source: Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), Suva On 18 July 1996, the Tongan Government told Agence France Presse Pacific Islands correspondent Mike Field he would not be allowed into the Kingdom of Tonga to attend the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) convention on 6 to 9 August. In response, PINA immediately appealed to Tonga’s Police […]