On Thursday evening, photojournalist Junior S Ami was doing his work when he was tipped off that the police had nabbed a wanted suspect along with 11 others. He tried to get photos of those arrested including that of the prime suspect wanted for brandishing a gun at the airport.

Junior to get a better picture wandered into a zone where he was not allowed, however, instead of ushering him out, 10 police officers ganged up on him and forced him to wipe all photos from his memory card.

No police officer has the right or authority to delete a journalist’s content, regardless of any trespassing claim. This was a clear abuse of power. The Samoa Observer would not have hesitated to defend any resulting charges in court, in the name of press freedom and the public’s right to know. That is how firmly we stand by our role and responsibility to the public.

Why did the police do what they did? They are not the authority on what is to be printed and what pictures can be taken. They do not have the authority to become censors and oppressors of media freedom. It does make you wonder why they did that. Was it because those caught by the police had offered the police officers financial benefits so their mugs would not appear in the daily? It is hard not to believe something like that.

Then you get the notion that some police officers think that just because they wear a uniform, they have power over everything. That uniform does not give any police officer to abuse their powers, especially when 10 police officers gang up on one person and give the impression that they would use force if the person does not comply.

On the contrary, the top cop and his senior management have always been open to the media and have answered questions from the media, even the tough ones. This shows how much value is given to transparency and accountability by the heads of the police service. Why are the subordinates giving a different picture? We urge the management of the police service to look into the matter to ensure that there is no repeat of this abuse. It does not paint a good picture of the police force, especially when there is work from the top to end corruption and ensure more transparency and accountability.

The Samoa Observer is also open to discussion if the police service wants to set perimeters. As the biggest watchdog in the country and an independent media outlet, we will continue to do our work to highlight issues that concern people and help in having a better-informed nation.

The police incident is not the only attempt at media censorship encountered last week. At the fire incident in Siusega on Monday, a firefighter told the journalist and photojournalist that they were not allowed to cover the story. There have been similar reactions by other government offices. This needs to stop. We are the fourth estate and a suppressed media does not say good things about the government.

Journalists locally and all over the world are threatened not only by bombs and bullets but by the weapons of falsification and disinformation that accompany modern warfare.  They may be attacked as the enemy, accused of espionage, detained or killed, simply for doing their jobs. Journalists do what they do because they want people to have a voice and for people to have access to the truth.

Freedom of expression and freedom of the media are basic human rights. No nation can hope to develop democratically without the free expression, publication and distribution of ideas and opinions. Democratic societies only function sustainably when people are well informed, can access and share information freely and can debate ideas.

Free media, unfettered by government control, promotes a free exchange of views which can help reduce international tensions and prevent conflicts. Freedom of the media is indispensable in the digital age.

Without freedom of the press, there are no real democratic societies.  Without freedom of the press, there is no freedom.