Police question Roshika Deo over social media post

Feminist, Roshika Deo has been questioned by the CID in relation to a social media post which allegedly contained false information.

Police Chief of Investigations, Intelligence and Prosecutions Acting ACP Sakeo Raikaci says Deo was brought in for questioning on Wednesday and was released.

He says Deo’s social media post allegedly contained false information regarding the assault of a man who was brought into custody at the Totogo Police Station.

He says the investigation file is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for sanctioning.

In a tweet, Deo says this was the second time in the last two months CID took her in for questioning over her social media posts.

She claims it is arbitrary, unlawful detainment and abuse of rule of law.

Deo has confirmed to fijivillage News that formal complaints have been filed.

Police say they will not comment further.

Meanwhile, the NGO Coalition on Human Rights is calling on the State to not to disregard basic human rights principles and to ensure adequate training is provided to service providers such as the Police so that human rights are not infringed in their day-to-day work.

The NGO Coalition says they are once again deeply disturbed by recent arbitrary detentions and prolonged ‘interviews’ of law-abiding citizens for their social media posts.

They say such actions are unreasonable, unjustified and inexcusable.

The NGO Coalition says in a properly functioning democracy, the State should never shy away from upholding fundamental human rights, including the right to expression.

They say a Police state, dictating the daily lives of individual citizens will only mean regressive lived realities for countless human rights defenders.

The NGO Coalition says freedom of expression and speech should be guarded with utmost care to preserve the fragile democracy that Fiji is now at the helm of.

They say the State must adhere to international standards by upholding freedoms as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

They stress the State has made international commitments to safeguarding freedom of expression and there must be steps taken to ensure that enforcers of the law are not suppressing concerned citizens, the media, civil society organisations and activists, and human rights defenders who speak up.

The Coalition says it is crucial that we put into practice the international commitments which we have pledged.

They say they believe that in a functioning democracy, the role of citizens in voicing concerns and raising issues which affect them need to be cultivated rather than curtailed and it is important that different perspectives and voices are heard during this important transition in Fiji’s democracy.

They say the Fiji Constitution also guarantees basic human rights, which everyone is bound by including the Police and the Police must do better.

The NGO Coalition adds all acts of harassment of citizens including taking away their civil liberties, must end now.

Questions have been sent to the Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua who is expected to respond later this afternoon as he is currently in Australia.