Bangladesh
Rape Victims Identity Pictures or identities of rape victims cannot be disclosed: High Court
Dhaka, March 9: The High Court has banned the publication of any kind of picture or identity of a rape victim, living or dead. At the same time, the court issued a rule asking why the inaction of the defendants in banning the disclosure of pictures and identities of rape victims would not be declared illegal.
The High Court bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Moniruzzaman passed the order on Monday (March 8) after hearing the writ petition.
Earlier, the High Court had directed to stop publishing the names, identities and pictures of the raped children in the media.
Barrister Mahfuzur Rahman Milon appeared for the writ petition on Monday. On the other hand, Deputy Attorney General Samarendranath Biswas represented the state.
Earlier on January 19, a writ petition was filed in the High Court seeking a ban on the publication of pictures and identities of living or dead women victims of rape and sexual harassment. At the same time, a writ petition was filed against those involved in publishing such pictures.
Barrister Mahfuzur Rahman Milon filed the writ petition on behalf of the Justice Watch Foundation. In the writ petition, the concerned persons including the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and the Secretary of the Ministry of Information were made defendants.
Barrister Mahfuzur Rahman Milon said, "Even though there is a legal impediment to publishing a picture of a raped woman, the media is always publishing pictures of the raped woman or child. This is socially degrading to their family members. "It has been published in most of the media in the country. We are saddened by the publication of this picture. So we have filed a writ petition to stop publishing the photo-identities of the victims."
