FIJI’S new Criminal Records Act 2026 is expected to take effect on September 1, giving eligible former offenders a pathway to move beyond old convictions and rebuild their lives, Parliament heard on Friday last week.
Assistant Minister for Justice Ratu Josaia Niudamu said the legislation recognised rehabilitation and the possibility of a second chance while maintaining safeguards for serious offences.
“The Criminal Records Act 2026 gives Fiji an opportunity to do exactly that,” he said.
The Act introduces three mechanisms — spent convictions, expunged historical convictions and expedited fixed-penalty offences.
Ratu Josaia said old convictions could continue to affect employment, education, travel, migration and social acceptance long after people had served their sentences.
“If an individual has served his or her sentence, remained a law-abiding citizen, demonstrated good character and made a genuine effort to rebuild his or her life, then Government and society must also be prepared to recognise that rehabilitation.”
However, he stressed that the law was not a blanket eraser of criminal records.
Serious convictions involving more than 30 months’ imprisonment, sexual offences and serious violent offences are excluded from spent conviction provisions.
Ratu Josaia said the Ministry of Justice was finalising regulations, rules and forms, with an inter-agency taskforce working on implementation.
“Our objective is clear, to protect the integrity of our justice system while ensuring that those who have genuinely rehabilitated themselves are given a fair opportunity to rebuild their lives and contribute positively to our nation.”
