2002 Tongan general election explained
General elections were held in Tonga on March 7, 2002, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.[1] Supporters of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HDRM) won seven of the nine seats for people's representatives. Voter turnout was 48.9%.[2]
Following the election, HRDM leader 'Akilisi Pohiva was arrested and charged with sedition over allegations of royal corruption published during the run-up to the election.[3] He was later acquitted by a jury.[4]
Notes and References
- James . Kerry . The Recent Elections in Tonga: Democratic Supporters Win but Does Democracy Follow? . Journal of Pacific History . 37 . 3 . 2002 . 313–322 . 10.1080/0022334022000047858.
- James, p. 314.
- Web site: Tonga's king centre piece in sedition court case against politicians and journalists . Michael Field . 2002-05-13 . 2010-01-10 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081014092317/http://michaelfield.org/tonga8.htm . October 14, 2008 .
- Web site: MPs acquitted on sedition charges . The Age . 2003-05-20 . 2008-07-15.