FIJI REGIME DETAINS PROMINENT LAWYERS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SUVA 000213 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO EAP ACTING A/S DAVIES E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2010 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM FJ SUBJECT: FIJI REGIME DETAINS PROMINENT LAWYERS FOR ALLEGEDLY BREAKING PUBLIC EMERGENCY REGULATIONS Classified By: Ambassador McGann for reasons 1.4 (b)(d) ¶1. (C) On May 20, armed with a search warrant, at least ten Fiji Police officers entered the legal offices of Munro Leys, confiscated equipment and detained two senior partners. The police erroneously suspected that the lawyers were the source of Auckland-based anti-regime blog rawfijinews. Munro Leys is one of Fiji,s most prestigious law firms. It currently represents American-owned Fiji Water and represented the U.S. Embassy during its land-purchase negotiations for a new embassy site. Post saw copies of the search warrant that authorized the police to remove "laptops, desktop computers, storage devices and other relevant electronic devices" on the grounds that they contain "negative comments against the current Government published on the blog Websites." The two senior partners, Richard Naidu and Jon Apted were remanded to the Police Criminal Investigative Division (CID). The police also raided the residence of Jon Apted and removed computer equipment with other personal items. In a separate action, police detained noted Suva lawyer Tevita Fa to CID for questioning. ¶2. (C) A senior executive with Fiji Water met Ambassador McGann. Munro Leys successfully represented Fiji Water in a protracted legal battle with the Fiji Government over transfer pricing. Concerned that the police now had access to its most sensitive files, the executive commented that this abuse of attorney-client confidentiality would ¬ have a chilling effect, but a freezing effect on the business investment climate in Fiji." While admitting that he didn,t believe the raid was about Fiji Water, the executive expressed that this action was a further diminishment of the rule of law international public perceptions of Fiji. ¶3. (C) Comment: Richard Naidu had been arrested in the aftermath of the 2006 coup. Jon Apted, a former supervisor of elections, is well known in Suva for his anti-Bainimarama views. Embassy also learned that all three lawyers had been listed in realfijinews, a pro-regime blog, as contributors to the anti-government blog rawfijinews. Realfijinews also listed 2007 International Women of Courage recipient, Virisila Buadromo and former vice president Ratu Jone Madrawiwi as contributors. Neither has yet been contacted by police, but we remain concerned for both . Today,s crackdown represents the continued overreaction by the regime to opposing views and its expanding authoritarianism. MCGANN