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Fijian authorities are breaching international conventions by refusing regular access to a New Zealand citizen held under guard in a Suva hospital, Prime Minister Helen Clark says.
High Commission staff were given assurances they would be able to see Ballu Khan on a daily basis but that had not happened, she said yesterday.
"We will be continuing to seek access to him, as he is entitled to that under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations," Miss Clark told reporters.
"We understand that while his condition has improved, he is not well enough to be released from hospital at this time."
Miss Clark said High Commission staff had been able to visit the second New Zealand detainee, Sivaniolo Waqa Naulago, who is in jail, and had confirmed he had access to medical treatment and legal representation.
They were able to visit Mr Khan last week but subsequent requests were apparently turned down.
Both men were arrested in connection with an alleged plot to kill Fiji's military leader and self-appointed prime minister, Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama and senior members of his interim government.
They were reported to have been beaten after they were arrested last week, and Mr Khan suffered head injuries.
Radio Fiji reported yesterday that Mr Khan's lawyer, Tevita Fa, was seeking his client's release so he could receive medical treatment overseas.
The two New Zealand citizens are among at least 16 men arrested over the alleged assassination plot.
Ten of them have appeared in court charged with conspiring to commit murder and incitement to mutiny.
- NZPA
