Parliamentary elections were held in Tonga on March 7, 2002 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga

Legislative Assembly of Tonga

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga has 30 members, 9 members elected for a three year term in multi-seat constituencies via the single non-transferable vote system, 9 members elected for a three year term by the 33 hereditary nobles of Tonga, 10 members of the Privy Council and 2 governors. The...

. Supporters of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement

Human Rights and Democracy Movement

The Human Rights and Democracy Movement is a political party in Tonga. Its leader is Uliti Uata.The HRDM was founded in the late 1970s as an informal group of Tongans interested in democratic reform. It was formalised in 1992 as the Pro-Democracy Movement, and contested several elections under...

 won seven of the nine seats for people's representatives. Voter turnout was 48.9%.

Following the election, HRDM leader 'Akilisi Pohiva

Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva

Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva is a Tongan politician and a leading member of that country's pro-democracy movement. He is a former teacher, broadcaster, and newspaper publisher, and a founding member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.-Personal...

 was arrested and charged with sedition

Sedition

In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...

over allegations of royal corruption published during the run-up to the election. He was later acquitted by a jury.