Richard Naidu

Richard Naidu (born 28 June 1963) is an Indo-Fijian journalist, constitutional lawyer and opponent of the 2006 Fijian coup d'état. He is a former director of Transparency International Fiji.[1]

Naidu served as spokesperson for Prime Minister of Fiji Timoci Bavadra.[2] During the 1987 Fijian coups d'état he was beaten by iTaukei militants[3][4] and his home was burned by arsonists.[5] He was later deported to New Zealand by the military regime.[6] While in exile in New Zealand he studied for a law degree at the University of Auckland.[6][7] After working as a lawyer in New Zealand, he returned to Fiji in 1995.[7]

He was an opponent of the Qarase government's Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, calling it unconstitutional.[8] During the 2005–2006 Fijian political crisis he argued that the elected government had the power to sack Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Frank Bainimarama,[9] and that the President of Fiji must follow the advice of the elected government.[10]

Naidu and the 2006 coup d'état

Naidu opposed the 2006 Fijian coup d'état as illegal and unconstitutional.[11] He condemned the detention and beating of six pro-democracy activists by the military on Christmas eve at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks, and called on the Fiji Human Rights Commission to take a stand against such violations. Naidu also spoke out against the Fiji Human Rights Commission for supporting the coup, ridiculing a report written by the Commission's Director, Shaista Shameem, which endorsed the coup.[12] On 16 January, Naidu dismissed the announcement that the Military had restored Ratu Josefa Iloilo to the Presidency, saying that it did not legitimize the State of Emergency or the interim government.[13]

On 23 January Naidu gave an interview to Radio New Zealand in which he attacked President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo as a puppet of the Military and the "illegal" interim government.[14] He was also quoted as accusing the interim government of making "illegal laws" ad hoc to circumvent court rulings it did not like.[15] He was subsequently arrested by the military and taken to Queen Elizabeth Barracks for interrogation.[16] He was released after intervention from military Attorney-General of Fiji Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum[17][18] and Human Rights Commissioner and Fiji Women's Crisis Centre coordinator Shamima Ali.[19]

Post-coup

Following the coup, Naidu represented opponents of the regime, such as Fiji Law Society vice-president Tupou Draunidalo and the Fiji Times.[20][21] In May 2009 he was detained and his computer was searched on suspicion he was involved with an anti-military blog site.[22][23] In June 2009 he withdrew from speaking at Fiji's Institute of Accountants Congress after threats from police.[24] He later criticised the military regime for denying a permit for the Fiji law Society's annual general meeting.[25]

In 2015 he briefly served on the Constitutional Offices Commission as the leader of the opposition's nominee,[26] resigning in November after claiming it was a rubber-stamp for the regime.[27] He later criticised the government's proposed Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Bill and Code of Conduct Bill for undermining freedom of speech.[28][29]

In November 2022 he was convicted of contempt of court after pointing out a spelling mistake in a judicial judgement in a Facebook post.[30][31][32] The conviction was condemned by Amnesty International,[33] the Commonwealth Lawyers Association,[34] the New Zealand Law Society,[35] the Law Council of Australia,[36] and legal academics.[37] In July 2023 the court set aside the conviction and dismissed the charge.[38]




References

Wikiquote has quotations related to Richard Naidu.
  1. ^ "Transparency International Fiji aims at review of public service disciplining". RNZ. 29 August 2006. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Bavadra says no; he'll lead civil disobedience". Canberra Times. 25 May 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Taukei Terror Stalls Talks". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 58, no. 10. p. 14. Retrieved 1 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Bavadra pulls out of talks". Canberra Times. 8 September 1987. p. 5. Retrieved 1 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "13 held in Fiji civil violence". Canberra Times. 19 September 1987. p. 5. Retrieved 1 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ a b "Test for authority". Canberra Times. 9 January 1988. p. 4. Retrieved 1 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ a b "Richard Naidu". Munro Leys. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Prominent Fiji lawyer questions Reconciliation Bill". RNZ. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Fiji lawyer says proper process must be followed over army commander". RNZ. 20 March 2006. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Fiji's President backed by chiefs in spat with government over military commander". RNZ. 21 June 2005. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Chiefs' legal position correct, says lawyer". Fiji Times. 22 December 2006. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012.
  12. ^ "Prominent lawyer dismisses FHRC report". Fiji Times. 4 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012.
  13. ^ "Return of executive authority failed to legitimise regime: Naidu". Fiji Times. 16 January 2007. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007.
  14. ^ "Iloilo is 'military President'". Fiji Times. 24 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012.
  15. ^ "Fiji constitutional lawyer dismisses military claim that overthrow did not breach constitution". Radio New Zealand. 22 January 2007.
  16. ^ "Military denies report that prominent lawyer beaten up after comments about president". Radio New Zealand. 25 January 2007.
  17. ^ "Interim Fiji AG wants military to use Public Order Act". RNZ. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Charge people who incite, AG tells army". Fiji Times. 24 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012.
  19. ^ "Continuing detentions in Fiji worry human rights commissioner". RNZ. 25 January 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Fiji Law Society vice president to face contempt charge". RNZ. 11 July 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Fiji regime pushes for big fines and jail terms for newspaper editors and publishers". RNZ. 4 December 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Fiji police seize computers of three prominent lawyers". RNZ. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Detained lawyers said to be OK". RNZ. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Fiji conference speakers withdraw amid police threats". RNZ. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  25. ^ "A Fiji lawyer says regime acting on whim over gathering permits". RNZ. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  26. ^ "First meeting of Fiji's Constitutional Offices Commission held". RNZ. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  27. ^ "Fiji's Qiliho appointment prompts Naidu resignation". RNZ. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  28. ^ "Fiji lawyer says bill has no legal equivalent worldwide". RNZ. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Issues raised with Fiji Code of Conduct Bill". RNZ. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  30. ^ "He Pointed Out a Judge's Goof. Now, He Faces Jail Time in Fiji". New York Times. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  31. ^ "Lawyer Richard Naidu Guilty, Convicted For Scandalising The Court". Fiji Sun. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  32. ^ "Pointing out spelling mistake leads to contempt conviction for Fiji lawyer". RNZ. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  33. ^ "International rights group condemns spelling mistake conviction in Fiji". RNZ. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  34. ^ "CLA Statement regarding the conviction of Richard Naidu by the High Court of Fiji". Commonwealth Lawyers Association. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  35. ^ "Statement on Fiji". New Zealand Law Society. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  36. ^ "Law Council concern regarding judgment against Fijian lawyer Richard Naidu". Law Council of Australia. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  37. ^ "Facebook conviction of Fiji lawyer labelled 'disproportionate'". RNZ. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  38. ^ "Richard Naidu's conviction not to be recorded and charge of contempt dismissed". Fiji Village. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
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