A/HRC/14/8
compliance with the Paris Principles. Algeria also mentioned the fact that poverty had
become a national issue of increasing urgency. Algeria made recommendations.
29.
New Zealand expressed its deep concern that the legitimate Government should be
restored through a credible process. It also expressed concerns at the civil and political
rights situation and the serious deterioration in the human rights situation since the state of
emergency had been established under the Public Emergency Regulation 2009, including in
particular the dismissal of the judiciary, the abrogation of the Constitution and limits on the
rights to freedom of assembly and expression. It highlighted the militarization of the police
and public service and the lack of independence of the judiciary and lawyers. It called on
the Fiji interim Government to respect the right of the people to self-determination. Further,
it condemned the ongoing harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders. New
Zealand also expressed concern about religious discrimination within the police force. New
Zealand made recommendations.
30.
Hungary expressed deep concern about the ability of the interim Administration to
guarantee the full enjoyment of human rights, calling for the restoration of constitutional
order and asking about the reasons behind the postponement of democratic elections.
Hungary raised questions concerning specific actions taken or planned to fulfil Fiji’s
commitment to eradicating all forms of racial and ethnic discrimination in law, as to
whether the ratification of any core human rights treaty was under consideration, and
regarding concrete actions planned to address the problem of the sexual abuse and
exploitation of children. Hungary noted the reportedly increasing number of violations of
the freedom of expression. Hungary made recommendations.
31.
France asked about the process of formulating a new constitution, in particular with
regard to the composition of the Commission in charge of that process and its schedule.
France expressed concern about the paralysis of judicial organs and asked about measures
to be taken to re-establish the Supreme Court of Justice. France made recommendations.
32.
Canada expressed grave concerns regarding the independence of the judiciary, the
interference of the interim Government with the functioning of the Fiji National Human
Rights Commission, and the ongoing public emergency regulations that had effectively
imposed media censorship and limited freedom of speech. Canada made recommendations.
33.
The Republic of Korea noted with appreciation that Fiji was a party to international
human rights instruments against slavery, human trafficking and terrorism. However, Fiji
was not yet a party to other essential international human rights treaties. It noted that the
abrogation of the Constitution could represent a gap in the protection of human rights, and
that that should therefore be addressed as a priority. It also noted that the Public Emergency
Regulation 2009 had been broadly questioned regarding its compatibility with international
human rights standards, which require states of emergency and related measures to be
limited in time and scope. It asked what concrete measures were being considered by the
Government to address that concern of the international community. The Republic of Korea
made recommendations.
34.
Australia strongly condemned the widespread human rights abuses that had been
committed since the December 2006 coup, noting that the situation had deteriorated since
the purported abrogation of Fiji’s Constitution and imposition of public emergency
regulations. Australia was deeply concerned that Fiji was being ruled by administrative fiat
and by an interim Government headed by the Commander of Fiji’s military. It noted that
the Constitution would not be reinstated until 2013 and that elections would not be held for
another four years, which, in its view, was an unnecessarily long delay and prevented the
legal protection of human rights. It expressed concern at the extent to which the rule of law
and the independence of the judiciary had been undermined, noting that, under postabrogated decrees, all judicial appointments had been revoked and the interim President had
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