Samoa: Press freedom at risk with ban on newspaper and draft media guidelines

Civic space in Samoa is rated as ‘open’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. However, there have been concerns about criminal defamation charges brought against critics, intimidation of the media and challenges for journalists in accessing state information.

Months after taking power, the Prime Minister banned the Samoa Observer from attending press conferences, issued restrictive draft media guidelines and blocked the Samoa Observer from parts of the New Zealand Prime Minister’s visit. A journalist was charged with defamation following a complaint from the children of the Prime Minister.

These actions raise serious concerns about freedom of expression and press freedom, contravening Samoa’s human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which it ratified in 2008 and Article 13(1) of the 1960 Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech.

Expression

Samoa PM suspends the Samoa Observer daily newspaper from press briefings

Samoa’s only daily newspaper – the Samoa Observer - was banned in November 2025 from attending press conferences with the Samoan Prime Minister, in a move that critics say threatens the democratic integrity of the Pacific nation.

Relations between Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt and the Samoa Observer deteriorated after the Prime Minister accused the newspaper of inaccurate reporting during his eight-week medical stay in New Zealand.

The temporary ban was imposed after the public removal of Observer journalist Marieta Heidi Ilalio from the Prime Minister’s weekly press conference on 16th November 2025. He then also instructed cabinet ministers not to answer queries from the media outlet.

The ban also follows an incident on 15th November 2025, when the paper’s editor, Shalveen Chand, was assaulted outside the Prime Minister’s residence. In comments on 17th November 17, the prime minister also criticised the Samoa Observer’s founder and editor-in-chief, Savea Sano Malif.

The Observer responded with an editorial rejecting the prime minister’s claims and reaffirming its commitment to independent, public-interest journalism. It questioned the timing of the ban and said it appeared aimed at suppressing scrutiny rather than correcting inaccuracies.

The Samoa Alliance of Media Practitioners for Development (Sampod) described the ban as a disproportionate and harmful reaction to any concerns about media coverage.

Pacific media organisations, including the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Fijian Media Association (FMA), expressed deep concern over the move, with PINA saying it represented a serious threat to media freedom, public access to information, and democratic accountability in Samoa and the wider Pacific region.

The Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF) said: “Banning an entire news organisation from press conferences hurts the public interest as people will lose access to independent reporting on matters of national importance. This ban appears to be a retaliatory measure against critical journalism rather than a legitimate response to disputed reporting.”

Draft media guidelines a threat to press freedom

A new media protocol proposed by the Samoan government in December 2025 has raised concerns at provisions that will impose stronger restrictions on press conferences, including background checks on political alignment and mandatory approval of questions.

According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 7th December 2025, the Samoan Observer published details of a 19-page ‘Government Media Protocol’, outlining a set of proposed rules for media outlets attending press conferences in Samoa. Under these rules, outlets would be required to submit questions to the government for verification at least 24 hours prior to the conference and ensure the questions protected the ‘integrity’ of government operations and positions.

The document states all media workers will be subject to background checks to discern their ‘political alignment’, including reviews of previous coverage, editorial standards, credibility, and target audience. The rules will also apply to ‘foreign media’, although it remains unclear how this would be enforced.

The protocol also affords the Press and Communications Division the right to deny access to journalists for non-compliance with verbal or written warnings and bans, and allows officials to select which outlets and reporters can ask questions, with the power to intervene and redirect any questions deemed ‘off-topic’ or ‘speculative’. Further stipulations include the retention of all press questions to release if ‘inaccuracies’ arise, and weekly media monitoring by a government division to highlight any alleged misinformation or disinformation.

All journalists wishing to attend press conferences would need to be registered through the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS), the IFJ’s Samoan affiliate, with the Press and Communications Division also able to decide who is granted access.

Samoa Observer said in an editorial that the new rules would undermine media freedom and democracy. They added: “The government’s stand on media freedom and proposed media policies have put transparency and accountability on their deathbeds. It seems that the government is shutting down all avenues to remain transparent. Why does a government do that when there is nothing to hide?”

The IFJ said: “The draft protocol, in its current form, imposes serious restrictions on Samoa’s journalists to be able to report independently and critically, with a concerning impact on press freedom. The government must consult further with the industry and heed its recommendations to ensure the media’s independence and impartiality are upheld.”

Samoa Observer denied parts of New Zealand PM’s visit

Concerns about media access in Samoa have grown after Samoa Observer journalists were denied entry to parts of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s official visit to Apia on 17th March 2026.

The Journalists Association of Sāmoa (JAWS) said control over accreditation and access rests with Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt’s office. JAWS confirmed it had raised concerns with officials, including ahead of the visit, and continues to advocate for “fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory access for all bona fide media organisations”.

Speaking to New Zealand media, PM Christopher Luxon addressed questions about the ban, saying he remains open to all media, and views journalism as playing an important role in holding “government and leaders to account.”

Journalist charged with defamation

Police have charged Samoa Observer senior journalist Marieta Ilalio with two counts of defamation following a complaint from the children of Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt.

Ilalio was summoned to the Samoa Police Headquarters on 24th March 2026. Upon arriving at the police station, she was charged and bailed to appear in court next month.

The charges stemmed from an article she wrote and published in the newspaper that claimed the Prime Minister’s sons drove the car allocated for the Prime Minister’s security detail and which only an assigned police officer has the authority to drive. The article also said the Head of the Police Traffic Division was transferred to a different division after warning the Prime Minister’s sons.