By Losa Huntington, The New Atoll
APIA, Samoa: Samoa’s press freedom is under attack as journalists covering the nation’s ongoing political crisis face escalating online harassment and threats, primarily through Facebook. This alarming development, highlighted in a statement by the Samoa Alliance of Media Practitioners for Development (SAMPOD), has drawn support from media organizations and advocates across Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and Tonga.
SAMPOD’s statement reveals the severity of the harassment, including death threats and threats to family members and property targeting journalists. Most of these threats originate from Facebook public forums, private groups, and direct messages. The Alliance has condemned these actions as an attack on the press and democracy itself, calling for urgent intervention by political and community leaders to uphold the essential role of the press.
Press freedom in Samoa under threat.
“A free and independent press is fundamental to democracy, serving as the public’s messenger and holding power to account,” SAMPOD stated. “Threats and intimidation against journalists are, in essence, attacks on the fourth estate and democracy itself.”
The statement has sparked regional and international concern, with SAMPOD calling on the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), UNESCO, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to address the issue. Advocacy groups from neighboring Pacific nations and Australia have expressed solidarity with Samoan journalists, underscoring the need for international support in protecting media workers in politically volatile environments.
Facebook Under Fire
The spotlight has also fallen on Facebook for its failure to address repeated requests to remove harmful content targeting journalists. SAMPOD criticized the platform for its inaction, emphasizing that social media companies have a responsibility to safeguard users, especially when their safety and press freedom are at risk.
“Facebook’s inaction is a troubling failure to safeguard the values of free expression and accountability that it claims to uphold,” the statement read.
The platform’s lack of verification and content moderation has been described as exacerbating the harm faced by journalists, leading to a growing consensus that tech companies must do more to counter online harassment.
Call to Action
SAMPOD’s statement is a call to action for the Samoan government, political leaders, and civil society to prioritize the safety of journalists and ensure they can work without fear. The Alliance stressed the importance of fostering an environment where journalists can report freely, particularly during times of political upheaval.
As regional and international support grows, the focus remains on securing immediate protections for Samoan journalists and addressing the systemic failures that have allowed such threats to proliferate.
The threats to Samoa’s press underscore the fragility of media freedom during times of political crisis and highlight the urgent need for global solidarity in defending journalists’ rights to inform the public without fear or intimidation.
Photo by Vaitogi Asuisui Matafeo/Samoa Observer
The New Atoll 
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