16 Dec 2015

Observers upbeat on Nauru despite condemnation

8:46 am on 16 December 2015

A fact-finding mission to Nauru has concluded that the rule of law is intact in the island nation, despite international condemnation from rights groups and former judges.

The Commonwealth Secretariat sent a two-man team to interview MPs and others, however only one opposition MP was heard, after he approached the men to tell his side of the story.

Roland Kun had his passport cancelled and can't leave the country to visit his family in New Zealand, despite not being charged with any crime.

Four other MPs are awaiting a trial in relation to a protest outside parliament in June.

One half of the fact-finding team was Milner Tozaka, the foreign minister of Solomon Islands, who says he's confident in the state of democracy.

"Well they have a chief justice there now, they have a new chief justice, we have spoken to him. And they have allowed the opposition to be represented in court."

Milner Tozaka.

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