Abuse in Tongan prisons - "Hit in the face with the back of a gun"
Abuse in Tongan prisons - IMC activist almost arrested
It was raining for most of Wednesday and Thursday morning so we didn’t do all the things we had planned for. We talked to people about the brutality in the prisons and met three men who were beaten by soldiers. A woman told us how her neighborhood protected Chinese shops from being destroyed on Thursday, 16th November and an IMC activist was almost arrested outside the Nuku’alofa prison/police station. More
If a boat ends up on a reef… Tonga Report 3
Our media pass was finally dropped off on Tuesday morning which allows us to get through the army checkpoint and into the city centre. The number of destroyed buildings is enormous. Most buildings are destroyed, windows smashed, burn-out cars are in the streets, many buildings have been burnt, and the shelves inside shops are empty. Two cafes are open at the moment – mainly to cater for the NZ police – everything else is shut/destroyed. A Chinese couple was cleaning out their watch repair shop. They described how people smashed the windows with rocks and bottles, came inside and took everything: money, watches, the microwave and fridge that were out the back etc. The owner was punched in the face by someone because he tried to stop the looting. More
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Re: Abuse in Tongan prisons - ”Hit in the face with the back of
r there any human rights observers montoring & documenting how the state interacts with these 'prisoners'
"Prison and Detention Center Conditions
Prison conditions generally met international standards. There were reports that prisoners were collectively punished after the misbehavior or escape of any individual inmate. No nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) attempted to monitor prison conditions, and the permissibility of such visits did not arise. Church representatives and family members were permitted to visit prisoners.
d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, and the government generally observed these prohibitions.
Role of the Police and Security Apparatus
The security apparatus consists of the Tonga Defense Services (TDS) and a police force. The minister of defense controls the TDS force. The minister of police and prisons directs the police force of approximately 400 persons. Incidents of bribe‑taking and other forms of corruption in the police force reportedly occurred. Reports of corruption and other public complaints were referred to a specific police office that conducts internal investigations and, if necessary, convenes a police tribunal. Entry‑level police training included training on corruption and transparency.
Arrest and Detention
The law provides for the right to judicial determination of the legality of arrest, and this was observed in practice. Police have the right to arrest detainees without a warrant, but detainees must be brought before a local magistrate within 24 hours. This law was observed in practice. There are no statutory limits on the length of time a suspect may be held prior to being charged. In most cases magistrates set bail. There were no reports of preventive detention or other lengthy pretrial detention. The law permits unlimited access by counsel and family members to detained persons.
There were no reports of political detainees. "
Re: Abuse in Tongan prisons - ”Hit in the face with the back of
great stuff smush and sln for the reports from tonga! keep up the great work! look forward to more in the future
Re: Abuse in Tongan prisons - "Hit in the face with the back of
All I can say is that there have been fantastic responses, especially by Tongans, to this report. Those that attack the reporter for being Kiwi and white, well, they are BS: being a mutt American (living isolated in a foreign land), we have all suffered colonialism and capitalism's fucked-up-ness, and give the reporter credit for risking being right at the core when most would shrink. I ain't saying the reporting is the best, I ain't saying this or that side is right, I'm just saying that the report hit a nerve because Tonga needs to change. I cry with the Tongans at the destruction...