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LoginFiji police launch investigation over brutality against prisoners video
The controversial YouTube video. WARNING: The video contains graphic violent images.
Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Daniel Drageset of Pacific Media Watch
Fiji police are investigating an online video showing two men in handcuffs being brutally abused by other men, suspected by critics of being state officials in plain clothes.
In the nine minute video posted on YouTube yesterday, a man named by news media as Iowane Benedito is shown being beaten by wooden and metal poles while lying helpless on the back of a pick-up truck.
Unable to avert any attacks, the man is stripped of his shorts and underwear, pushed and pelted with items. At the end of the video the man has several visible bruises on his thighs.
Anti-regime website Coupfourpointfive claimed the video was evidence of Fiji police brutality against prisoners – but the video does not show any of the assailants clearly, so it is not clear who took part in the act.
“This leaked video is also an indictment of those, bloggers included, who last year endorsed the ugly beatings and torture being dished out to the Naboro escapees, one of who ended up having his leg amputated, when C4.5 published the revelations,” the website said.
“Police later suggested Epeli Qaraniqio lost his right leg because he had diabetes.”
In the video, another man is shown being dragged by a dog in the grass and assaulted while several others are watching.
Assailants laughing
Some scenes show the assailants laughing and filming the assault on cellphones.
According to FBC News, police were not willing to make a comment about the beating before they identified where it took place.
Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said the police would also need to identify who was in the video.
Radio Australia reported Grant Bayldon, executive director of Amnesty International New Zealand, as saying the violence shown appeared to be consistent with the assault and torture of recaptured prisoners that the human rights organisation documented in December.
“To say categorically who committed the attacks is not something Amnesty can do, the Fiji government needs to investigate,” he said.
A Fiji non-government organisation, the Coalition for Human Rights, has previously called for a stop on police brutality against prisoners and criminal suspects in the country.
Source: Pacific Media Watch 8214
Fiji police investigate graphic beating video
Amnesty International’s statement on the ‘shocking’ video
David Robie’s Cafe Pacific commentary on the alleged torture
‘Shocking’ video depicts alleged Fiji torture of prisoners
Later stories on Pacific Media Watch
Pacific Media Centre: YouTube channel's latest videos
bunch of uneducated pricks. this is so embarassing!
Will never go back to Fiji for a holiday! All their tourism advertisement on tv, friendly paradise nation and let’s not forget full of Christianity! What a lot of bula shit. I was sick to the stomach after watching this clip! Bunch of low life cowards beating up human being like they were animals shame on you Fiji!
Where is bainimarama hiding why is the inspector gave a press conference when it is suppose to be a commisioner or bainimarama to give the statement
It is really sad that these things are really happening in Fiji where true values of human life does not exist.
I have noticed some great comments on this post as well as other posts but has anyone here realised that similar events have always occured in Fiji in the past? If you are or have been in Fiji you will have all the knowledge of those happenings. Ask any individual in Fiji or open your eyes and look around and Iam sure you all will agree with me.
Violent beating and inhumane treatment had been there for years. NO ONE THAN TURNED AROUND AND BLAMED ANY DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT SO WHY BLAME CURRENT GOVERNMENT FOR THIS EVENT? Why blindly listen to overseas government deligates and reach up a conclusion. They keep on talking about democracy in Fiji but look at some of the democratic countries and than you will know that FIJI IS STILL A PARADISE. Dirty politics has always been there ruining every countries democracy.
If you want to know the true meaning of military dictatorship,look around the world and you will see them. Mind you, current Fiji Government is not even close to them. So everyone should stop bringing their dirty politics as well as dragging military in this situation.
” THIS IS A CASE OF INJUSTICE AND INHUMANE ACTIVITIES DONE BY A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY SO STOP BLAMING BAINIMARAMA REGIME “.
Genesis 4:6-7 If we do the right things we would be smiling…
PLEASE do unto others what you want them to do unto you ….asault, abuse,accuse,….to do or not to do…,…to love or not love…,to hate or not hate,….to forgive or not to forgive…,as a nation what can we do?… can we change the past or do we know what the future holds ….I guess no…what has happend has happened, we cannot undo the past nor tell the future…..dig in dip and think ….,have we individualy never hated some body…any body…I bet we have all wished for he or she….premaditated in our mind..what we had wanted to do ….some did..some couldn’t…some forgave…..but at one time we wanted to retaliate………….hey FIJI how much have we done to help but nothing….remember….ALL HAVE SINNED AND HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD…….