An Australian journalist has been asked to leave Fiji by government officials who are unhappy at his coverage of political upheaval in the troubled island nation.
ABC correspondent Sean Dorney was reporting on the latest developments in Fiji's military leadership when he was contacted by immigration officials on Monday and
ordered to leave.
"They called me to the immigration department this morning and informed me they were unhappy with my reporting, which was being broadcast on the local Fiji One network," Dorney told AAP.
"I was informed immigration officers were on their way to escort my to the airport and out of the country."
He said he was allowed to return to his hotel to pack and was then telephoned to ask if he was prepared to leave voluntarily.
"I said no. I'm here to report and my visa is still valid, and now I'm awaiting further information," the journalist said.
The country has seen huge upheaval in the past four days, after a court ruled that leader Frank Bainimarama's military government, in power since a 2006 coup, was illegal.
But the country's aged president responded by sacking the judges, abrogating the constitution on which their decision was based, ruling out any election for five years and briefly removing Bainimarama before re-appointing him to the top job.
Bainimarama imposed strict new media regulations that allowed police officers to be installed in newsrooms to vet coverage of the country's political situation.
He has excluded international journalists from press conferences and told local journalists not to give any negative publicity to the abrogation of Fiji's constitution or the reinstatement of the military government.
The political situation has been roundly condemned by world leaders, human rights activists, media groups and regional commentators.
- AAP
