• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: AUSTRALIAN BLOGGER AT RISK OF EXTRADITION (Samoa: UA 93.21)

September 9, 2021

Talalelei Pauga is a vocal critic of the Samoan government’s policies and is known for protesting the former Samoan Prime Minister’s 2018 visit to Australia by presenting him with a pig’s head. Accused of conspiring to assassinate the former Samoan Prime Minister, Amnesty International believes these charges are politically motivated and that Pauga will not receive a fair trial in Samoa.

TAKE ACTION:

  1. Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on November 30, 2021.
  2. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
  3. Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 93.21. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa Ministry of Foreign Affairs P.O. Box 1866, APIA, Samoa Fax: +(685) 21817 Email: [email protected]
H.E. Mr. Fatumanava-o-Upolu III Pa’olelei Luteru Embassy of Samoa C/o Permanent Mission of Samoa To the United Nations 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017 Telephone: (212) 599 6196 Email: [email protected]

SAMPLE LETTER Dear Prime Minister, I am writing to express my concern about Talalelei Pauga (Pauga), an Australian citizen with dual Samoan nationality, who is subject to an extradition request from the former Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi (Tuilaepa) over an alleged plot to assassinate him. Because of his vocal opposition to the former Samoan Prime Minister, Amnesty International believes the charges against Pauga are politically motivated and without merit and that he may not receive a fair trial if extradited. Under Australia’s extradition laws with Samoa, minimal evidence is required for the Australian government to act on the extradition request from Samoa. As a result, Pauga has been detained in Australia since August 2020 (more than a year) without knowing the evidence against him. This raises serious concerns about arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial. Amnesty International and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers have expressed their concerns on the independence of judges and lawyers in Samoa following law reforms in 2020. In addition, the former Prime Minister Tuilaepa, now opposition leader in Samoa, continues to exert significant influence in the country that may undermine the right to a fair trial. Samoa should re-establish its position as a leader on human rights in the Pacific region and ensure that no one is charged or imprisoned for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and political opinion. I therefore call on you:
  • To drop politically motivated charges against Talalelei Pauga, cease extradition proceedings and secure his release;
  • If there is credible evidence that a crime has been committed, ensure that such persons receive a fair trial in line with international human rights law and standards; and
  • Ensure a prompt, impartial, independent, transparent and effective investigations into any allegations of political interference, threats or intimidation to judicial officers or lawyers, in any cases related to the former Prime Minister Tuilaepa.
Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] ADDITIONAL RESOURCES