Complete ban on telecast of images of minor rape survivors, Including morphed, says SC

NEW DELHI: Media is now banned from telecasting even morphed images of minor rape survivors. The Supreme Court believes to protect the privacy of rape survivors.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta had sought an explanation from the Bihar government and also expressed its anger on the media over telecasting interviews with the allegedly raped 30 minor girls. Ranvijay Kumar, a Patna based activist, had brought this act to the court’s notice.

“The media has been virtually forcing the rape survivors to relive the trauma again and again and this must be stopped. The government agencies should also be restrained from directly interacting with the girls,” said the bench.

It talked about the media in Thailand during the rescue of 12 boys and their coach from a flooded cave. No one knew about their identities till the operation was over. It added saying, “It is disgusting. Any interaction with the victims by investigating agency or any other government agency including child rights bodies must be done by professional counsellors or child psychologists.”

Tushar Mehta, Additional solicitor general, said, “In the name of freedom of expression, we cannot expose our children who are already under trauma. Why should they be interviewed at all by the media. It should also be barred from interviewing parents of the victims as it also exposes the identity. Children have right to anonymity and it must be respected by all.”