Fiji government moves to deport Fiji Times publisher

Updated May 2, 2008 08:44:20

The managing director of the News Corporation-owned Fiji Times newspaper was taken from his Suva home by men claiming to be immigration officers. [Reuters]

Authorities in Fiji have succeeded in deporting Australian publisher Evan Hannah out of the country.

Both the Fiji Times newspaper, of which Mr Hannah was publisher, and the Australian High Commission in Suva have confirmed that Mr Hannah was put on a Korean Airline flight a short while ago.

The airline is bound for Seoul, and it's not clear what arrangements the Fijian authorities have made to get Mr Hannah to Sydney.

Lawyers for the Fiji Times had initially said that the Korean airliner had refused to take Mr Hannah on board, but when the aircraft left little after 10am local time, authorities confirmed the News Limited media executive was on board.

Immigration officials attempted without success to have Mr Hannah in the local airline Air Pacific's Sydney-bound flight, but the airline refused to take him, saying it recognises the court order prohibiting the deportation.

The court order was signed by High Court Judge Justice Filimoni Jitoko, who will now rule on the authorities' refusal to abide by his orders.

Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith, says he is disturbed by reports that an Australian publisher faces deportation from Fiji.