The sudden eruption of violence that so shocked and shamed Tongans on November 16, 2006 was the culmination of months of pro-democracy demands.

The spark for the rally that turned into a riot was the program of political reform put forward by the new King, George Tupou V, which fell far short of the pro-democracy movement's expectations.

However, some in Tonga held the country's media at least partly responsible, claiming pro-democracy media groups had played a part in inciting the violence.

Self-censorship

The riots and their aftermath have had a strong effect on news reporting in Tonga.

The head of television at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, Katalina Tohi, says since the riots, a wary media has started practicing self-censorship to prevent any further strife.

"The journalists and the people in the media as gatekeepers are now more cautious of what to give the people because otherwise, you know, it may be some reports may provoke a repetition of these November 16 incidents," Ms Tohi says.

Although deficient in many democratic principles, Tonga enshrined freedom of speech more than 100 years ago. Even the King has supported it in the past, saying it would be a mistake to try to restrict freedom of speech.

Despite this, since the riots journalists and media groups have found themselves the target of close scrutiny, legal action and alleged intimidation.

Government intimidation?

The independent Oceania Broadcasting network, sometimes called the People's TV, has had no voice at all since the riots. The station is reportedly circled by a sign saying 'restricted area' and soldiers bar employees from entering.

The network's general manager, Sangsta Salada, has been charged with sedition.

And in March, the military raided a key opposition newspaper, Kele'a, which is published by the kingdom's pro-democracy movement leader, Akilisi Pohiva, because its printing presses were working on the Sabbath.

In deeply Christian Tonga, Sundays are for worship and businesses need a permit to work. Yet it's a day most newspapers have always published their Monday editions.

After the riots Mr Pohiva was charged with sedition, and Kele'a's editor, Tavake Fusimalohi, is also facing sedition and defamation charges.

More recently a senior journalist from the paper, Falisi Tupou, was arrested and charged over a story he wrote on the possession of drugs by the son of a prominent Tonga businessman.

Mr Fusimolohi says the charges are politically motivated, and claims there is a pattern of government harassment that is connected to the fact that the paper is pro-democracy.

"Any charge against Falisi at this stage is more political than any other thing," he says.

"Since the Kele'a is the only independent newspaper that is providing a communication link between the pro-democracy and the people, obviously it's becoming a target for government and their effort to gag or to silence the Kele'a," he says.

Sticking to the rules

The Tongan prime minister's spokesman, Lopeti Senituli, denies any government involvement in the arrests.

"The government is not involved in any way in whether media personnel or a journalist is arrested," Mr Senituli says.

"The government has not touched Kele'a at all, even though it has been very challenging, and there is no way that the government would consider pressurising any of the newspapers," he says.

"Of course if they break the laws they will have to be charged according to the law, and that applies to any newspaper."

Although Mr Fusimolohi is confident he will escape a conviction and says his paper is more popular than ever, many feel the recent arrests are encouraging self-censorship within the media.

Dr Sitiveni Holapua of the Pacific Islands Development Program is currently monitoring Tonga's media from New Zealand.

He says there is little doubt the riots and their follow up have had an impact on freedom of speech.

"Under the emergency powers that is in place in Tonga, the only thing that you can do is to impose self-censorship because, if you don't, you'll be arrested. So I expect that to be a fairly normal reaction from the media," he says.

"One has to understand that because we don't really have any opposition party and because the government has all the powers to do anything in the country, the only form of opposition we have up until November, the riot last year, was really the media," he says.

State of emergency

Dr Holapua says the continuing effect of emergency powers in the kingdom worries him.

"The pro-democracy leader is not allowed to hold any meetings, private or public. I mean, what is that? Is that a threat to public safety, if five people happen to meet in the house?" he says.

And it looks like the emergency regulations may be around for a while.

After the government announced another 30-day extension to the kingdom's emergency powers in mid-April, the police minister, George 'Aho, said there was widespread public support for the regulations.

"The people... are very, very much happier with the emergency powers in place," Mr 'Aho says.

"It places no restrictions whatsoever on their daily lives except there is more appearance of police and the defence force are also patrolling so their whole life is much happier."

As recently as March, Tonga's prime minister, Fred Sevele, was not hopeful of rekindling negotiations towards greater democracy.

"Unfortunately, at the moment, we cannot hold discussions on [democracy] with people that have been charged with sedition," he said.

And that's most of the leadership of the pro-democracy movement.

Censorship for the 'wellbeing of the people'

But some in Tonga deny the government's actions are having any negative effect on the media.

Journalist and manager Katalina Tohi is adamant there's no government control of the news agenda.

"No, not at all. The government, they don't tell the media what to put on or what not to put on. It's just, government is just concerned about the wellbeing of the people."

And so, she says, are members of the media, who are leaving out opinions when in doubt about their impact.

"I know it may or may not be right to do that but, depending on the situation in Tonga, to some extent, I think it's vital to just withhold some information until you know," she says.

"It's up to the journalist to know when it is the perfect time to put it out or if you'd like to, or otherwise you just don't."

This story was compiled using material from a report by Jillian Guthrie aired on Australia Network's Asia Pacific Focus program on 13 April, 2006, and a number of interviews conducted by Bruce Hill for Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program.