[Source: File]

The Multinational Observer Group of the 2022 General Election says that media stakeholders expressed that the environment in 2022 was more restrictive than in 2018.

This observation was highlighted by MOG in its final report on the 2022 general election.

The MOG says that media stakeholders believe that this has led to a culture of self-censorship among journalists due to the severe consequences of statutory default.

MOG says that stakeholders also noted the onerous requirements for publishing opinion polls, which resulted in no polls being published since the legislation was introduced.

MOG says it observes that reports from stakeholders of a more restricted media environment are consistent with Fiji’s recent decline in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index.

Fiji was ranked 57 out of 180 countries for press freedoms in 2018 but fell to 102 in 2022.