SAMOA – The Samoan newspaper at the centre of a storm over its publication of a gruesomely explicit photograph of an apparent suicide has now printed a heart-felt apology.

The Samoan Observer used an image of a fa’afine or transgender woman who died in a suspected suicide on its front page.

Police have made no official reports on the woman’s death, and have not released her name.

However, she was named by the paper as Jeanine Tuivaiki, a 20-year-old computer student who was a regular at the Catholic Church of Taufusi.

The woman was found in a church hall, and the confronting picture published showed her still hanging at the scene.

The chief editor of the paper Savea Sano Malifa has since published an apology.

In a statement he said the paper had made a “sad mistake”, and he said he has apologised to the woman’s family in person.

The newspaper has also published numerous letters of criticism they’ve received over the use of the photograph.

The Pacific Island Media Association’s Phlesha Brown-Acton says the publication had shown no moral compass by choosing to display such an image.

In a written statement Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, added his support to the public outcry.

“Like many others I was appalled at the front page of the Samoa Observer showing a lifeless body of a young person with such callousness and disrespect.

“What the editor of the Observer has shown to Samoa and the world is that he is above any moral or professional obligation to report ethically and responsibly.”

Pacific Freedom Forum’s NZ correspondent Jason Brown says it is a case of the media not thinking things through.

“The reporter is ordered to get all the facts, and that’s what reporters are paid to do. It’s then up to the editor to exercise editorial discussion and show some common decency, and show some ethics and not upset family, friends, and the general public, further in what is already a deeply upsetting incident.”

Brown says suicide needs to be discussed rather than avoided but this is a case of a media outlet clearly crossing the line.

The Samoan Observer says it offers its humble apologies to the LGBT and says usually the newspaper is a strong supporter of the Fa’afine community.

The following is the Samoa Observer’s apology in full:

“Let me say this is not an easy letter for me to write. Still, I feel duty-bound to write these words, since it is our duty to tell the public we serve, the truth.

“The truth is that last week, we made a sad mistake when we published a story on the late Jeanine Tuivaiki, on the front page of the Sunday Samoan.

“We now accept that there has been an inexcusable lapse of judgment on our part, and for that we are sincerely regretful.

“Yesterday, we met with members of Jeannie Tuivaiki’s family at their home at Vaiusu, where we extended our sincere apologies, and we are now thankful that we have done so.

“And so to Jeanine’s family we are very sorry.

“To the LGBT community in Samoa and abroad, we offer our humble apologies.

“We want you all to know, that there is never an intention on our part to denigrate or discriminate against anyone, at any time.

“Over the years, the Samoa Observer has been a strong supporter of the Fa’afafine community here in Samoa, through sponsorships and assistance with their community coverage.

“Today, I sincerely apologise to our readers and members of the public, for coming out in the open this way. There is no other way to explain how it feels.

“Since the story in question was published in the Sunday Samoan, an outpouring of irate letters of criticism from here in Samoa, and abroad were received. We want to remind that whenever we make a mistake, we apologize as soon as possible.

It follows that all the letters criticising us over the handling of this matter, are published today in this edition.

We sincerely accept that we’ve made a mistake.

Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa.

Editor in Chief.

- PNC