February 23
Filokalafi 'Akau'ola, Taimi 'o Tonga, IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION
'Akau'ola, deputy editor of the weekly Taimi 'o Tonga, which is published in Auckland, New Zealand, and distributed in Tonga, was arrested after the newspaper published letters to the editor on Feb. 21 that were deemed insulting to Tongan Minister of Police Clive Edwards. 'Akau'ola was charged with inciting violence against an officer of the government under Section 57 of the Tongan Criminal Code. 'Akau'ola was released on bail after two days in custody. On April 17, he was convicted and given an 18-month suspended prison sentence.

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September 20
Kalafi Moala, Taimi 'oTonga, IMPRISONED
Filokalafi 'Akau'ola, Taimi 'o Tonga, IMPRISONED
Moala, editor, and 'Akau'ola, deputy editor of the weekly Taimi 'o Tonga (Times of Tonga), published in Auckland, New Zealand, and distributed in Tonga, were sentenced to 30 days in prison for contempt of Parliament. The two were convicted of libeling the legislative assembly under Article 70 of the Tongan constitution. The charge stemmed from their Sept. 4 publication of the text of an impeachment motion against Justice Minister Tevita Tupor before it was tabled in Parliament. 'Akilisi Pohiva, the member of Parliament who had drafted the motion and provided a copy of it to Taimi 'o Tonga, was also found guilty of contempt of Parliament and sentenced to 30 days in prison. Moala, 'Akau'ola, and Pohiva were released from prison Oct. 14 after serving 24 days of their prison term. Nigel Hampton, chief justice of the Tongan Supreme Court, ruled that the legislative assembly had breached several constitutional provisions in convicting the three men of contempt of Parliament, and ordered their immediate release.

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