New disclosure

Western Samoa

law for journalists

The Pacific Islands News Association, PINA, has written to the Western Samoan Prime Minister asking him to abolish a new source disclosure law.

The new laws will allow the courts to require journalists to reveal their sources of information. Under the recent Newspapers and Printers Act, journalists face jail term of three months and a fine up to $2OOO. The law requires newspaper publishers to reveal their sources in defamation cases.

PINA says the legislation passed without public consultation, is a severe setback for media freedom. PINA officials are seeking a meeting with the Western Samoan Prime Minister to discuss the issue. The Western Samoan government has made it clear that it was not happy over information and allegations contained in anonymous letters printed in the Letters to the Editor column.