Fiji's top TV current affairs show forced off air

Fiji's military regime has forced the country's top television current affairs programme off the air, Fiji TV said.

Police seized the master tapes of last night's Close Up programme, which was to have featured Suva lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry, and are refusing to allow it be aired.

Police said they were investigating him for inciting unrest.

Chaudhry is the son of the military-appointed Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. Both Chaudhry's were hostages during the George Speight coup of 2000.

In the past month Rajendra Chaudhry has been highly critical of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), which was set up by Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama following his 2006 coup.

Fiji TV said a police director, Waisea Tabakau, arrived at the station yesterday morning with a search warrant to take the programme tape.

He was "adamant" that the master copy be handed over, they said.

Fiji TV acting chief executive officer Tarun Patel said the action was unwarranted. Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said there were allegations that whatever Chaudhry would have said could have been inciting and dangerous to public safety and order.

Close Up has a dramatic history in Fiji. In May 2000 it aired a programme during the hostage crisis. It so enraged Speight followers holding parliament that they attacked the Fiji TV studios and murdered a policeman.

The next day, as a result, Bainimarama declared martial law and removed President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.