No revealing of identities of rape victims: HC
The High Court yesterday ordered the government to immediately take necessary steps to stop online and print news media and electronic media from publishing and broadcasting identities and photographs of rape and sexual assault victims in line with the relevant law.
In response to a writ petition, the court asked four high-placed officials to submit separate reports to it after complying with the directive in 30 days.
The four are: secretaries to the ministries of information and home affairs and the chairmen of Bangladesh Press Council and Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The HC also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain in four weeks why their inaction and failure to stop publishing and transmitting news which refers to the character of the victims, humiliates or defames the victims and their family members should not be declared illegal.
In the rule, the court also asked the respondents to show cause as to why they should not be directed to take action against those who published the identity of the victims of rape and sexual offences in print, online and electronic media.
Secretaries to the ministries of information, law and home affairs and chairmen of Bangladesh Press Council and BTRC, director general of department of film and publications, principal information officer of press information department, secretary of Bangladesh Press Council, chairman of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha and inspector general of police have been made respondents to the rule.
The HC also set May 3 for further hearing on the issue, writ petitioners' lawyer Mafuzur Rahman Milon told The Daily Star.
The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed seeking its directive on the matter.
Justice Watch Foundation submitted the petition on January 19 as a public interest litigation to the HC requesting it to order authorities concerned of the government to strictly enforce section 14 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000, which bans publishing and broadcasting names and photos of victims of rape and sexual assault.
In the petition, the organisation requested the HC to issue a rule asking the respondents to show cause why their inaction and failure to strictly enforce section 14 of the act should not be declared illegal.
Executive Director of Justice Watch Foundation and its lawyer Mahfuzur Rahman Milon earlier told The Daily Star that different media platforms have been broadcasting and publishing names and photos of rape and sexual assault victims, including those of the O-level student who was killed after being raped, despite the ban under section 14.
The victims and their families are being maligned by the publication of their identity, he said.
Lawyer Mahfuzur Rahman Milon moved the petition during its hearing.