PR/19/2003-04                                                             Dated 05.4.04

 Press Council reiterates its Norm concerning caution against identification.

           The Press Council of India, which recently met in Delhi under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy warned “Hai Bangalore’ and “Lankesh Patrike” for transgressing the Norms of Journalistic Conduct enunciated by it by directing the papers to strictly adhere to the Norm while reporting cases of child abuse. The Council while adjudicating upon the complaint of Shri Mathew Philip, Executive Director, SICHREM, Bangalore against the said papers, reiterated its Norm in the matter which reads:

          “While reporting crime involving rape or molestation of women, or sexual assault on children, or raising doubts and questions touching the chastity, personal character and privacy of women, the names, photographs of the victims or other particulars leading to their identity should not be published. While such publication serves no legitimate public purpose, it may being social opprobrium to the victims and social embarrassment to their relations, family, friends, community, religious order or the institution to which they belong.

          This norm also prohibits by analogy, the publication of the photographs or identification of minor children and infants who are the offspring of sexual abuse or forcible “marriage” or illicit sexual union.”

          The Council observed that while exposing social evil with regard to sexual assault on children or otherwise, the above norm can, under no circumstances, be lost sight of by a newspaper.