The Pacific Islands News Association has voiced serious concern over the Samoa Government’s decision to ban the Samoa Observer, one of the country’s longest-serving independent newspapers. The move has raised alarm among regional media advocates who say it threatens press freedom, limits public access to information and undermines democratic accountability across the Pacific.

In its statement, PINA urged the Samoa Government to lift the ban immediately and to honour its commitment to open dialogue and transparent governance. The organisation noted that Samoa already has an established and lawful system to address concerns about media accuracy or ethical standards through the Media Council Act 2015.

Under the Act, the Media Council can receive complaints from the public or government, investigate alleged breaches of the media Code of Practice and provide redress where reporting is found to be harmful or inaccurate. The Council was set up in partnership with the Journalists Association of Samoa to support fairness and accountability in the country’s media landscape. While the Council faces capacity challenges, PINA says it remains the legitimate avenue for resolving disputes rather than resorting to punitive restrictions.

PINA emphasised that concerns about media reporting should be handled through the Council’s complaint process, open engagement and continued support for ethical journalism. It warned that banning a newspaper is disproportionate and unnecessary, adding that it sets a worrying precedent for the region by silencing independent voices at a time when strong public oversight is vital.

PINA has called on the Samoa Government to lift the ban, refer any grievances through the Media Council, work closely with JAWS and uphold Samoa’s democratic values. The organisation says it stands ready to support dialogue, mediation and capacity-building to help strengthen relations between government and the media in Samoa and the broader Pacific.