KATHMANDU: Media outlets, particularly some online portals, used the name and photo of the victim raising questions of violation of Press Council’s Code of Journalistic Ethics-2003 (Amended and revised  2008).

The code prohibits media from penalising the victims. Clause (6) of the code stipulates: Don’t penalise the victims: Don’t publish, broadcast or produce-distribute any news or opinion with the use of language, sound, picture, figure, scene or the like in such a way so as to make the victim suffer further pain.

Clause (7) stipulates: Non disclosure: Don’t publish, broadcast or produce-distribute any news, picture or scene in such a manner so as to disclose the name, address or identity of a victim in a sexual crime or in an event or context that evokes hate or brings social contempt, without the consciously given consent of the victim.

Chairman of Press Council Nepal Borna Bahadur Karki said even if the victim was dead, the identity and photo of the victims should not be revealed.

“The media is not supposed to reveal the identity of the victims of sexual violence even if the victim is dead because revealing the identity can add insult to the prestige of the victim’s family,” he added.

He said he would analyse the contents of the media to determine if they violated the code in this case.

SSP Khanal said the police decided to reveal the identity because the victim was dead and the family members gave their consent for the same.

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