Nauru dissidents jailed after ‘sham’ trial

Twelve political dissidents in Nauru have been jailed following what was widely regarded as a ‘sham’’ trial.

Twelve political dissidents in Nauru have been jailed over a 2015 peaceful protest following what was widely regarded as a “sham’’ trial perpetrated by the Nauruan government against its political enemies.

The case against the opposition MPs and their supporters concluded on Wednesday, with all 12 receiving guilty verdicts and being taken into custody.

Four others had previously pleaded guilty, one had died and three had fled the country.

Sydney barrister Stephen Lawrence, who until recently represented the group, said: “All 12 have been found guilty of a variety of charges — all guilty on rioting charges, some of assault, some on entering the airfield.’’

The case typified what Mr Lawrence described as the ­Pacific state’s “slide into authoritarianism’’.

The MPs and their supporters were arrested in 2015 after a peaceful demonstration outside the Nauru parliament in protest over the government’s decision to suspend them.

The MPs had earlier spoken out against the deportation of chief magistrate Peter Law, who angered the government of Baron Waqa after he attempted to stay the expulsion of two ­expatriates.

An Australian judge brought in to run the trial was effectively fired after his orders that the ­accused be given a properly funded defence were ignored.

Mr Lawrence said the trial was a travesty of justice, with ­Fijian judge Daniel Fatiaki ­summarily dismissing pre-trial applications, refusing to accept appeal documents and forcing the matter to trial, knowing that the Nauruan government had not allocated a cent to their ­defence.

“This was a sham trial from beginning to end,’’ Mr Lawrence said. “It was a parody of justice, a proceeding conducted in breach of their rights under the Nauru constitution.’’

He said the 11 men and one woman were now in a newly built prison funded by the Australian taxpayer where they would remain until their sentencing hearing on December 18.

Mr Lawrence said that given those who pleaded guilty received jail terms ranging from six to nine months, the prospects for the 12 convicted on Wednesday were not good.

He said the Australian high commissioner should have ­attended the proceedings to exert a quiet moral pressure.