Press may print full names of crime suspects

JAKARTA (JP): Local newspapers can now print the full names of crime suspects. The days of writing only their initials are over.

That's the official word from the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), confirmed yesterday by Syamsul Bahri, a member of PWI's advisory board, during a discussion of the newly revised code of ethics for journalists.

The practice of only printing their initials in the past was introduced chiefly to protect the identity of the suspect to abide by the principle of the presumption of innocent. It was also adopted to prevent trial by the press.

Some press publications however have long discarded the practice and printed the full names of suspects, saying that publishing only the initials was no guarantee of protecting identities.

Sjamsul, the chief editor of Suara Karya daily, yesterday explained that the PWI executive board at its recent meeting in Batam, Riau, agreed to delete this practice from the newly revised code of ethics.

He stressed however that the code of ethics requires that the press clearly stipulate the status of the person, whether one is a suspect, a defendant or already convicted for the crime charged. This is to ensure that journalists comply with the principle of presumption of innocence.

The discussion on the PWI's code of ethics was organized by the Dr. Soetomo Press Institute in cooperation with the Goethe Institute.

Speakers at the discussion include noted lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, senior journalist and the institute's instructor Amir Daud, lawyer Thomas Tampubolon and Frauke Hobermann, a member of the Executive Board of the German Journalists Association.

The speakers yesterday agreed that the code of ethics is an essential component in making journalists more professional in their reporting. They stressed the importance of adherence to these set of codes.

Mulya however pointed out that journalism of today has become rather dry while the profession actually is not simply about news writing.

The profession is crucial in developing the mentality of the people in the nation, he said.

"Mass media at one time used to be a market place for ideas," Mulya recalled. "Journalists must revitalize this fundamental role."

Sjamsul however cautioned journalists against overstepping their boundaries, noting an increasing trend for individuals and organizations to manipulate the press to serve their interests.

"The PWI's board of advisors do not deny that many reporters are accepting money in return for publishing, or not publishing, a certain story," he said.

Amir Daud, questioned the effectiveness of the PWI's code of ethics in the absence of any attempt by the organization to stamp out the practice of what is known in the trade as "accepting envelopes".

Mulya also questioned article one of the code of ethics which stipulate that journalists must always consider the interests of the nation and the state in writing their articles.

He also questioned the norm among the Indonesian press of defending the nation, irrespective of whether or not it is on the wrong side, or of concealing the shortcomings of the country or the government.

"We cannot maintain the principle of `Right or wrong is my country' anymore," he said. "We must dare to say "What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong"."

Hobermann in his presentation said German journalists too have to abide by their code of ethics.

She said that most German newspapers are allied to the country's political parties. (imn)