No amnesty for Fiji rebels

George Speight will remain in custody for now

The high court in Fiji has ruled that the rebels led by George Speight who seized parliament in May and deposed the government are not immune from prosecution.

The judge said the conditions of the decree granting them immunity had been breached because the rebels had not returned to the military all the guns they had stolen.

He was upholding an appeal by the state against the release in June, under the immunity decree, of a rebel accused of the attempted murder of a television cameraman.

Mr Speight and 21 others face treason or treason-related charges relating to the coup attempt.

Deal

The amnesty secured the release of Mahendra Chaudhury

The decree granting immunity was issued as part of a deal under which the rebels agreed to release their hostages, including the Fiji prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry.

The deal was a central part of the peace accord, signed by Fiji's military governor, Commodore Frank Bainimarama and Mr Speight, which ended the crisis.

But state prosecutors have argued the peace agreement was signed under duress and the immunity deal was, therefore, invalid.

Island prison

A warship guards the prison island where Speight is being held

Mr Speight and his supporters have been held in custody since their arrest in July on a prison island 3km (two miles) from the capital, Suva.

But his lawyers argue that the arrest and subsequent indictment on charges of treason are an abuse of the legal process.

Mr Speight held Fiji's Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, and other cabinet ministers hostage for eight weeks in an attempt to remove the influence of ethnic Indians in the government.