Fiji court to consider publisher's detention next week
Updated
The Fiji High Court will hear the case relating to the detention of Australian Fiji Times publisher Evan Hannah next Thursday.
Mr Hannah was deported last Thursday after the interim government said he was a threat to national security.
Mr Hannah's lawyer John Apted says the judge adjourned the case on Wednesday, to give lawyers representing the state more time to prepare.
The Fiji military-led regime has moved to strike out the court action brought about by the Fiji Times newspaper.
Solicitor General Christopher Pryde says the matter should be dismissed, because Mr Hannah is no longer in custody:
"Mr Hannah is no longer in detention of the authorities, he is no longer in the country, the writ of habeas corpus is brought to produce the body to test the legality of the detention," he said.
"The summon to strike out is because there's no reasonable cause of action since he is no longer in detention."
Fiji Times lawyer Jon Apted is opposing the strike out application and the High Court will hear arguments on Thursday next week.
