Unionists and protestors arrested

20 arrested amid Fiji union crackdown

The arrests came ahead of a planned nationwide protest on Friday over labour issues, and amid protests by hundreds of workers who had been laid-off by the Water Authority of Fiji.

Many of those arrested were workers who were locked out by the government agency, after their temporary contracts were cut short, the government said.

The total number of people detained and whether they have been charged is not known, but the government-owned broadcaster, the FBC, said over 20 "troublemakers" had been arrested.