The Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) is demanding answers over the reported removal of a Samoa Observer journalist’s camera and deletion of photographs taken while she was covering a public event.
JAWS said it was “deeply disturbed” by the reported treatment of the journalist and called for the circumstances surrounding the incident to be properly established.
“If the reports are accurate, JAWS considers these matters extremely serious,” the association said in a statement.
JAWS said journalists attending public events had a professional right and responsibility to observe, record and report what took place, including when senior public officials or people connected to them were present.
“The media is not required to seek permission to document public events simply because those being photographed may be senior public officials or persons connected to them,” it said in a statement.
The association said a journalist’s camera was a professional tool and photographs taken during legitimate journalistic work could form part of the public record.
It said any unauthorised removal of equipment or deletion of journalistic material raised serious concerns about press freedom and the public’s right to information.
JAWS expressed particular concern over the reported involvement of members of the Prime Minister’s security detail.
“Security personnel have an important responsibility to protect public officials, but that responsibility does not place them above the law or give them unrestricted authority over journalists and their professional equipment,” JAWS said.
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.
JAWS also said disagreements with journalists or 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.
JAWS 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.
The association said it was not prejudging the responsibility of anyone named in reports about the incident.
“Being part of a security detail does not remove the obligation to account for one’s actions,” it said.
JAWS said the incident raised a wider issue about the role of the media at public events.
“The media’s role at a public event is to document what happens, not merely what those in authority would prefer to be documented,” it said.
JAWS said it would defend the legitimate professional work of journalists and the public’s right to receive independent accounts of matters of public interest.
The association also called on the Prime Minister to continue holding weekly press conferences, describing them as an important avenue for government scrutiny and for journalists and the public to ask questions directly.
It said regular press conferences provided a forum for transparency, accountability and public discussion on matters of national interest.
“Journalism must not be obstructed. Journalistic material must not be interfered with and public authority must never be treated as a licence to silence the record,” JAWS said.
