Two English-language dailies - the New Straits Times (NST) and The Star - were roundly criticised for publishing photographs of three statutory rape complainants today, in which the teenagers were seen trying to conceal their identity with their hands or books.

When contacted NST group editor-in-chief Kalimullah Hassan conceded that this was a mistake, while The Star executive editor Wong Chun Wai refused immediate comment, saying he would call back.

The complainants, all aged 14, had lodged a police report alleging they had been raped several days ago by two plumbers who were known to them.

The photographs showed police taking the girls to the scene of the alleged crime in Selayang, Selangor. The NST report also named their school and place of origin.

Kalimullah said this evening: "This was one of the first things I noticed this morning. I think it was wrong. At the morning meeting, I briefed my editors (and said) such pictures should not be used again.

"It was an unfortunate such a thing has happened. It should not have happened, but sometimes decisions are made in the rush of the moment. I have to admit we were wrong in publishing the pictures."

Uphold journalistic ethics

Contacted earlier today, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Zainah Anwar said she was "disturbed by the growing trend of rape victims being portrayed in the media".

"The newspapers should not publish their photographs or even the name of their school, because it makes it easier for people to identify the victims," she said.

"This is even more so in this case because firstly, the victims are under-aged and secondly, they are allegedly rape victims. It is an established principle in the media (not to print pictures of minors). Why are they still publishing such photos?"

Asked what advice Suhakam could offer the newspapers, Zainah said the media must practise journalistic ethics.

"They should really refrain (from publishing the photos). They should uphold the principle of not revealing information that would identify the victims," she said.

'Breach in convention'

Universiti Teknologi Mara lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Ahmad Murad Merican also expressed concern that some in the media are unaware of journalistic principles and ethics, noting that this is not the first time there has been such a lapse.

Ahmad Murad was one of two mass communication lecturers who had been commissioned by the Malaysian Press Institute in 2001 to draw up a draft proposal for a Malaysian Media Council, including a code of ethics.

(Discussions are ongoing as to whether the proposal is acceptable to the media industry and civil society representatives.)

The proposed code, under the section 'Concerns for Privacy', says that names, photographs and any particulars leading to the identity of women and children involved in sex related crimes should not shall not be published.

"Regardless of age, those who are charged in court and minors who are victims should not have their pictures published. There has been a breach in convention (by publishing the pictures)," Ahmad Murad said.

'Observe Child Act'

Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) law reform officer Wathslah Naidu said the media should know how to act beyond sensationalising rape cases and that it should adopt a wider role such as educating the public on rape prevention.

"What (the media) are doing is tantamount to a second rape. The victims have just gone through one violent assault and now the media is doing it all over again - sensationalism is a form of violence," she said.

"Instead of hounding the survivors and their family members, they (the media) can provide tips on safety and pre-emptive measures that can be taken, and consider the social dynamics that lead to such offences."

Wathslah reminded the media that Section 15 of the Child Act 2001 imposes a restriction on the media against publishing any information which might lead to the identity of children involved in any criminal act.