Media Watchdog Demands Answers After Samoan PM’s Security Reportedly Deletes Journalist’s Photos

The Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) is demanding
answers over the removal of a journalist’s camera and the
deletion of photographs taken while she was covering a
public event.

According to the Samoa Observer,
Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea
Schmidt’s son reportedly deleted photographs taken by one of
the newspaper’s female reporters at a police event held at
the Government Building in Apia on Tuesday
morning.

According to the report, the journalist was
told by one of the La’auli’s security personnel that “there
is a law that prevents the Samoa Observer from taking any
pictures of the Prime Minister”.

RNZ Pacific has
contacted the Samoa government for comment and is yet to
receive a response.

JAWS said it was “deeply
disturbed” by the reported treatment of the Samoa
Observer journalist by members of PM La’auli’s security
detail.

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
reported that the group has called for the circumstances
surrounding the incident to be properly
established.

JAWS said journalists attending public
events have a professional right and responsibility to
observe, record and report what took place.

This
includes when senior public officials or people connected to
them are present.

Samoa’s Government on Friday issued
a response, saying it respected media freedom and free
expression, but that a ban on the Samoa Observer was still
in place.

The Government said it was not stopping
other private and independent media outlets from accessing
government and public events.

However, the Association
said any legitimate security concern should have been dealt
with through lawful and proportionate
procedures.

“Security cannot become a pretext for
obstructing legitimate journalism,” it said.

The
Association also said that issues or disagreements with
media organisations should not be handled through physical
interference with equipment or the deletion of
material.

“If there are concerns about the conduct or
reporting of a journalist, there are established avenues for
complaint, correction and legal redress,” it said.

The
Association has called for an investigation to establish who
removed the camera, under whose authority it was taken,
whether photographs were deleted, who authorised the
deletion and the legal or procedural basis for the
actions.

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