Fiji Law Society Opposes Future Immunity in Bill 32
- The Fiji Law Society opposed any future grant or extension of immunity for coup-makers during submissions to Parliament's special committee examining the Constitution Amendment Bill 32 of 2026.
- Law Society President Graham Leung told the parliamentary committee that the organization rejects any future immunity provisions outlined in clause 206 of the 2026 bill.
- Leung told lawmakers that citizens are exhausted by repeated constitutional overhauls following the nation's history of political instability.
The Fiji Law Society opposed any future grant or extension of immunity for coup-makers during submissions to Parliament’s special committee examining the Constitution Amendment Bill 32 of 2026.
Opposition to Clause 206 and Permanent Immunity
Law Society President Graham Leung told the parliamentary committee that the organization rejects any future immunity provisions outlined in clause 206 of the 2026 bill. While the society accepts the Supreme Court reasoning regarding historical immunities granted over the past 35 years, Leung argued that permanent constitutional protection from legal accountability conflicts directly with constitutional supremacy, equality before the law, and the rule of law. The society recommended establishing a clear legal barrier to ensure anyone convicted of treason or attempting to remove a government in the future cannot escape prosecution.
Coup Fatigue and Public Priorities
Leung told lawmakers that citizens are exhausted by repeated constitutional overhauls following the nation’s history of political instability. Rather than fostering national unity, he stated that the supreme law has generated division and discord. Leung emphasized that the public is desperate for basic infrastructure, asking how much longer citizens must wait for reliable village water supplies, operational health centers stocked with vital medicines, and pothole-free roads.
Proposed Reforms for FICAC and the Military
The Fiji Law Society also urged structural changes to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption and the nation’s military framework. Leung recommended amending section 115 to restrict FICAC’s mandate strictly to investigations while keeping prosecutorial authority exclusively under the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions per section 117. Furthermore, the society called for section 131 to be revised to establish unequivocal civilian democratic supremacy over the military, defining the armed forces’ primary constitutional role as defending the country against external threats.
The coup culture must cease. It has severely eroded Fiji’s democracy and has set the country back.
Graham Leung