After spending 24 years behind bars for treason, George Speight, the figurehead of Fiji’s 2000 coup, has been granted a presidential pardon and released. The Fiji Corrections Service confirmed that Speight, along with six others, was formally pardoned on Thursday.
The decision to grant clemency was made on the recommendation of the “Mercy Commission,” a body specifically established to address politically sensitive cases. Speight, a businessman who turned to politics, led a racially charged coup in 2000, holding Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and other lawmakers hostage for 56 days. His stated objective was to champion the rights of Indigenous Fijians and exclude ethnic Indians from government.
The coup led to widespread unrest and violence. Despite being convicted of treason and initially sentenced to death, Speight’s sentence was commuted. His popularity among certain segments of the population even saw him elected to parliament, though he was later expelled due to his absence from the legislature.
The issue of Speight’s pardon and release has been a contentious one, particularly among Indigenous Fijian groups who have long advocated for his release. The debate reflects the complex racial dynamics within Fiji, a nation where approximately one-third of the population is of Indian descent and half are Indigenous Melanesian.
