‘We were right to identify riot suspects’
Amid growing national controversy Al Ayam newspaper on Tuesday vehemently defended its decision to publish pictures of riot suspects.
“The press is an independent authority entrusted with informing people and helping to protect society, and that is what we did,” it said.
It quoted legal expert Malallah Al Hamadi as saying that “publishing the pictures of people charged with acts of sabotage should be considered from legal and social aspects.”
However, the newspapers that did not publish the pictures said the suspects’ relatives were filing a lawsuit against Al Ayam, Al Watan and other newspapers that printed the photographs.
The public prosecution should not have allowed the newspapers to publish them, the suspects’ lawyer, Mohammad Al Mutawa, was quoted by Al Wasat as saying.
The Al Wefaq Society condemned identifying the suspects and in statement on Monday said the newspapers were taking sides.
“It is a blatant violation of all divine and earthly laws and is reminiscent of the State Law era,” said Al Wefaq, whose public freedoms head Jalal Fairuz is coordinating with the suspects’ relatives in the case.
Gulf News :: Habib Toumi :: 19 Apr ’06