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Two sedition trials involving a number of indigenous Fijians began this week.
Both cases centre around alleged efforts to set up separate Christian states.
The first case involving 16 people from Ra is to proceed with the defendants facing adjusted charges after a court hearing on Monday.
The accused were originally variously charged with sedition and inciting communal antagonism for allegedly attempting to form a separate Christian state in their province.
The state has since amended the charge of incitement to one of sedition.
The court ruled against an application for a stay by the defendants’ lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh who said the charges were based on flimsy evidence.
The case has been adjourned until the 16 March for a plea and for the trial date to be fixed.
14 people from Nadroga facing sedition charges will take their plea later this month.
Two of the original group of sixteen people from Nadroga have died since the charges were laid eighteen months ago.
The Nadroga group appeared at the Lautoka High Court on Wednesday
The next appearance on March 29 will also decide on when the trial is expected to proceed.
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