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Media Challenge Opens in Tonga Court

AUCKLAND (Taimi 'o Tonga/Pacific Media Watch): A judicial review challenging the amendment to Clause 7 of the Tongan Constitution last year started in the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, today.

Clause 7 established new restrictions on media publications in the kingdom, drawing widespread protest amid claims that it curtailed freedom of speech.

A total of 173 plaintiffs, including individual citizens, businesses, MPs and a news organization, filed for a judicial review, claiming that the amendment of Clause 7 and the introduction of restrictive media laws by government was unconstitutional.

The hearing was presided over by Justice McElrea. The counsel for the plaintiffs was human rights lawyer Dr Rodney Harrison, from New Zealand, and representing the Crown were Paul Radich and ŒAminiasi Kefu.

The first witnesses called by the plaintiff¹s counsel were Pesi Fonua, chairman of the Media Council Inc. of Tonga and publisher of Matangi Tonga, and Mateni Tapueluelu, editor of the Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper.

The hearing is scheduled for five days.

+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
http://www.pmw.c2o.org

Created by cnelson
Source: Pacific Media Watch
Last modified 03-Sep-2004 01:09 PM
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