17 August 1999

LIBEL CHARGES AGAINST SAMOA OBSERVER DROPPED


On 13 August, the "Samoa Observer" reported that the Supreme Court suspended the criminal libel action by the late Samoan Prime Minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana, against the paper's publisher and a former editor, according to the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).
The Court also ruled that an appeal scheduled for 23 August would be cancelled. Savea Sano Malifa and Fuimaono Fereti were sued for criminal libel over the 6 March 1997 publication of a letter to the editor from Misatauveve Joseph Hollywood, a Samoan expatriate who was living in New Zealand.

The letter was alleged to have defamed the Prime Minister and came at a time when the paper was reporting on corruption. According to PINA, "The Samoa Observer" published an editorial stating that the ruling "was the best news this newspaper has heard for a long time." [Updates IFEX "Communique"
#7-44.


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Also from the Communiqué, 17 August 1999

INDONESIA: SAFETY OFFICE FOR MEDIA OPENS IN EAST TIMOR 17 August 1999 INTERNATIONAL: RSF SAYS 20 JOURNALISTS KILLED IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF 1999 17 August 1999 COLOMBIA: MEDIA PERSONALITY JAIME GARZÓN MURDERED 17 August 1999 INTERNATIONAL: PRESIDENT INVOLVED IN ADVERTISING BOYCOTT OF PAPER 17 August 1999 INTERNATIONAL: DEATH OF MISA'S BRIGHT MWAPE SADDENS MEDIA FREEDOM COMMUNITY 17 August 1999

Samoa

Government considers legal action against Television New Zealand 22 April 2009 Authorities ban distribution of the film Milk 13 April 2009 Four journalists attacked while covering high-profile trial of church leader 31 March 2009 Newspaper stops covering gun-probe inquiry due to media restrictions 22 October 2008 Court rules opposition should have access to government media 4 August 2000 See all alerts: Samoa


Asia and Pacific

INDIA: Charges against video journalist must be dropped 25 May 2012 CAMBODIA: Lake activists sentenced, monk detained after taking part in protest 25 May 2012 PHILIPPINES: Radio commentator threatened on Facebook 25 May 2012 PAKISTAN: Moves to squelch media, again 25 May 2012 CHINA: Anti-foreign attitudes bode ill for China correspondents 24 May 2012


 
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