Controversy surrounds release of Fiji 2000 coup leader George Speight
2024.09.19
Suva, Fiji

Failed coup leader George Speight has been granted a presidential pardon and released from Fiji's correctional facility Thursday, 24 years after orchestrating the 2000 coup that shook the Pacific nation.
The decision, made by the Mercy Commission on 18 Sept. 2024, saw the release of Speight, who was serving a life sentence for treason.
Speight, a former businessman turned politician, led the coup on 19 May 2000, seizing the Fijian Parliament along with rebel soldiers from the Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) Unit. They held Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and 35 other MPs hostage for 56 days, demanding the exclusion of ethnic Indians from Fiji’s government, under the guise of championing Indigenous Fijians.
Chaudhry did not respond to a request from BenarNews for comment on Speight’s release.
Speight's actions plunged Fiji into political chaos, leading to widespread unrest and a military takeover. He was charged with treason in 2001 and pleaded guilty. Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002. For over two decades, Speight was held at Nukulau Island before being transferred to the Naboro Correction Facility.
“The Fiji Corrections Services (FCS) provided positive reports on Speight’s behavior, recommending a pardon,” a statement from the Mercy Commission said. “Psychological and judicial assessments were also reviewed, with the FCS supporting his reintegration into society.”
Speight served 8,820 days in prison, during which time the FCS noted his exemplary conduct and participation in rehabilitation programs. “The Commission has recommended that the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, grant mercy to Speight, recognizing his rehabilitation and the length of time he has served,” the statement continued.
The pardon was granted under Section 119(5) of Fiji's Constitution, which allows the president to exercise clemency following a recommendation from the Mercy Commission. “Following the Commission’s deliberations, recommendations for mercy were made, and the president, acting under Section 119(5), granted pardons to all petitioners,” the Fiji Correction Service confirmed.
Speight’s release comes as part of a broader review by the Mercy Commission, which also recommended pardons for other individuals, including former Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) soldier Shane Stevens.
Shane Stevens, a key figure in the deadly mutiny at Queen Elizabeth Barracks on Nov. 2, 2000, was also pardoned and released. The mutiny, intended to overthrow then-military commander Frank Bainimarama, resulted in the deaths of three loyalist soldiers: Lance Corporal Simione Rawaileba, Private Osea Rokosirinavosa, and Private Temo Veilewai. The mutiny remains one of Fiji’s most violent and consequential military confrontations.
Stevens was convicted of Incitement to Mutiny in 2002 and had been incarcerated for 7,934 days, nearly 22 years, at Naboro Prison. Like Speight, Stevens was noted for his good behavior during his sentence, and FCS reports highlighted his progress in rehabilitation.
“Reports and evaluations from FCS recommended Mr. Stevens for a pardon, citing his positive progress during imprisonment,” the Mercy Commission’s statement read. “After careful consideration, the Commission recommended that Stevens be granted mercy, with his punishment postponed for an indeterminate period.”
Stevens’ role in the 2000 mutiny has long been a subject of controversy, given the high-profile deaths and the subsequent military reshuffling that followed. His release, like Speight's, is expected to reignite public debates over the events of that tumultuous year.
The decision to pardon both men is likely to stir strong emotions across Fiji, where the memory of the 2000 coup and mutiny still lingers. The events reshaped Fiji's political landscape, leading to further coups and military interventions in the years that followed.
For some, the release of Speight and Stevens marks a new chapter in Fiji’s reconciliation efforts. “Justice must be balanced with compassion,” a spokesperson for the Mercy Commission said, defending the pardons. “Each case was reviewed with careful consideration of all circumstances, including rehabilitation and remorse.”
However, for others, the decision could be seen as a betrayal of the victims who suffered as a result of the coup and mutiny. The families of the three loyalist soldiers killed in the 2000 mutiny have long called for justice and accountability.
The Fiji Correction Service emphasized the role of the Mercy Commission in upholding the principles of justice and rehabilitation. “The government remains committed to the rule of law, and the Mercy Commission plays a vital role in ensuring that petitions for clemency are carefully considered,” the FCS said.
Speight’s petition for a pardon was submitted in May 2023, after he had served more than 20 years of his life sentence. His release, along with that of Stevens, signals a major moment in Fiji’s history, but also one that is fraught with unresolved tensions.
With both men now free, questions remain about how their reintegration into society will unfold, and whether this act of clemency will truly help heal the wounds of Fiji’s turbulent past.