Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva
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Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva is a Tongan politician and a leading member of that country's pro-democracy movement. He is a former teacher, broadcaster, and newspaper publisher[1], and a founding member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement.
He is the longest-serving people's representative in the Tongan Parliament, having first been elected in 1987[2] His political career has been marked by constant battles with the Tongan monarchy over democracy, transparency and corruption. In 1996 he was imprisoned for contempt of Parliament on the order of the Legislative Assembly for reporting on Parliament's proceedings[3]. He was subsequently released after the Supreme Court ruled that the imprisonment was “unlawful and unconstitutional"[4]. In 2002 he was charged with sedition over an article published in his newspaper Kele’a alleging the king had a secret fortune[5].
On 18 January 2007 Pohiva was arrested over his role in the 2006 Nuku'alofa riots[6]. He was subsequently charged with sedition[7]. Hearing of the charges has been repeatedly delayed and is now not expected to occur until August 2008[8].
In the 2008 election he was re-elected for an eighth term as the No 1 Tongatapu People's Representative with 11,290 votes.
[edit] References
- ^ S 'Akilisi Pohiva, Media, justice in Tonga, Pacific Journalism Review, 8 (2002), 96 - 104.
- ^ According to his profile at the Tongan Parliament he had served 18 consecutive years when re-elected in 2005.
- ^ S 'Akilisi Pohiva, Media, justice in Tonga, Pacific Journalism Review, 8 (2002), p100
- ^ Pro-democracy MP 'Akilisi Pohiva arrested, Pacific Media Watch, 18 January 2007
- ^ Tonga's king centre piece in sedition court case against politicians and journalists, Michael Field, 13 May 2002.
- ^ Pro-democracy MP 'Akilisi Pohiva arrested, Pacific Media Watch, 18 January 2007
- ^ Tongan pro-democracy leader released on bail, facing charges of sedition, Radio New Zealand International, 19 January 2007
- ^ Eight candidates for Tonga’s April General Election have pending court cases, Radio New Zealand International, 4 March 2008.