Journalists banned from court.
Does anyone else think this is a backward step?
Surely transparency in the workings of the courts and our respect for the law take a heavy knock when the public cannot see justice in action.
From today's Peninsula:
Scribes barred from covering court proceedings
Web posted at: 10/4/2007 2:10:57
Source ::: The Peninsula
DOHA • Local newspapers will not be able to file court stories and proceedings any more as the judicial authorities have imposed a ban on the entry of journalists into courtrooms.
According to Al Sharq, the Supreme Judicial Council has issued a decision, which is to be effective from immediate effect, restricting the entry of scribes into criminal and appeal courts and the Court of Cassation, the country's highest court, for the purpose of reporting.
Media persons were not allowed into courtrooms to cover their proceedings until a few years ago. The courts threw their doors open to them later in order to help the local media mainly highlight social problems with a view to creating public awareness about crimes.
The idea was to cerate awareness to help curtail the incidence of crime. Readers also became aware of the laws of the land by reading court stories.
The decision of the Supreme Judicial Council signed by its chairman, H E Mubarak bin Khalifa Al Assiri, has been displayed outside the premises of the criminal and other courts.
It has been taken in accordance with clause (ii) of Article 187 of Law Number 23 of 2004, which bans the entry of reporters into courtrooms unless a special permission is sought from the chief judge of a court.
Criminal courts which were being covered by the media, have a three-member panel of judges which has a head, the chief judge.
"If the decision is violated by any journalist, it would tantamount to breach of law," Al Sharq quoted the statement of the Supreme Judicial Council as saying.
The daily said quoting court sources that the media are to actually blame for the ban having been imposed on their entry into courtrooms. "Some journalists indulged in objectionable practices," said the daily.
The actions of some of these journalists have affected the entire Qatari media, it added. The judges of some courts were on several occasions forced to order that the main door be closed so that the proceedings could continue without any disturbances created by some journalists.
The daily said that the local newspapers were covering the courts in a very responsible manner and not mentioning the names of either accused persons, convicts or the witnesses.
"So, there was no question of defaming anyone or maligning anyone's reputation," said the daily bemoaning the ban.
I'm very disappointed to hear this about the Courts and wonder what triggered it. Qatar is working towards transparency in many areas and to me this is indeed a step backwards.
We can do better. We must do better. _______________________________________________________
Love is the answer...
I think some thing must have triggered them to go back on this. I wonder what it must have been?!
Press freedom ?? Well try this.. last year in one of the IPOs organized by QNB at one of the sports club here - the crowd was totally GCC nationals.. some of you might recollect that - and it was actually a mess and chaotic. In the midst of all this - some of the people queing in for buying the shared clashed with the cops.. and one of the photographers from some newspaper took a few shots. Before he even knew it - a few cops landed on him - put him on the ground- roughened him- thrashed his camera in pieces on the floor and took him away.
Another one - for the Asian games - for the final foot ball match - they had changed venue at the last minute and while we were at the venue with already purchased tickets and there was a HUGE que out there. And they closed the gates as the number of seats were much lesser than the ones sold out as the initial stadium where it was supposed to be held had a bigger seating capacity than this one. When they closed the gates - the crowd got out of control and had a minor clash with the cops.. there were a few Qataris also involved and in the midst of this one of the guys ( expat ) took a few shots on his camera of this scuffle - boy - same thing - in less than a minute - he was surrounded by cops and taken inside! Have no clue what happened to him after that.
And these are not hear says - I have witnessed it!
So - yeah - be careful. When you see things like that.. dont ever think of taking snaps !!!
AR.
AR.
"Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching "!
is different in different countries eg it seems to me that the US press can report what it wants and make assumptions as to guilt even before a person is arrested or tried.
In the UK the press do have some restrictions on them up until trial (this is for the accused's protection and their right of innocence until proven guilty)and in exceptional cases there are some reporting restrictions whilst the case is at trial. But even in these exceptions journalists transcribe the case and are free to publish all details once the case is resolved.
To ban all journalists from court is a bizarre way to control what can be heard by the public in cases of justice and law. You do wonder who is coming up with these bright ideas??
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
Well even less now will be known as they cant be reported on. Will the courts issue statements at the end of trials? Better still we can just guess as to why a friend just disappeared - was it kidnap, taken by aliens, time travel, or were they arrested and what for????? Dum de dum dum daaaa!!!!
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
yea right even the company wont give a damn why you got imprisoned. there are alot of stories at capital police which were never published EVEN STORIES LIKE INCEST.
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But if you get locked up we will never know about it, unless you have internet access in your cell? lol
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
Qatar isnt a press free country they really dont have any freedom. else money talks and a journalist will be behind bars.
[img_assist|nid=21285|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=180]
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.