The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Court bars publication of pictures of rape victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 16, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Court bars publication of pictures of rape victims

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained the media from publishing photographs of women who are victims of rape, and has directed the police to ensure that such victims were not photographed.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Dharmarao Elipe and Justice S. Palanivelu on Friday passed the order, allowing a public interest litigation petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Council of the National Federation of Indian Women.

Referring to a July 15, 2002 circular memorandum issued by the Director-General of Police, the Bench said the contents of the circular should be enforced in letter and spirit.

The memorandum reiterated the need to protect the identity of rape victims from the “glare of media and public eye,” and said, “the media indulges in perverse sensationalisation while displaying the photographs of the women brutally. It is to be severely condemned and stopped.”

The police, mandated to safeguard the dignity of women, was party to it. “It cannot be condoned on any account,” it said, adding, “it is easy for the police to stop such photographs being taken. Still, police personnel lack the sensitivity and humanity to abide by the basic civilised norms.”

The memorandum directed all Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to strictly follow the directive.

“Any deviation will be viewed very seriously,” it said.

The petitioner, K. Santhakumari, general secretary of the Federation, submitted that despite several representations to the Home Secretary, Director-General of Police and the Press Council of India, the media continued to publish “derogatory” photographs and details of women who were complainants in rape cases.

“Among women, who are subjected to sexual assault of rape, only a small percentage comes forward to give complaints to the police,” she said, adding that if they were exposed to the media and public glare it would discourage such women from preferring complaints.

She prayed for a ban on the publication of photographs and details of victims in newspapers, journals and magazines, and to direct the authorities to ensure compliance.

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