No bar to media reporting on under-trial cases: Anisul

Law Minister Anisul Huq has said there is no bar to media reporting on under-trial cases but media shall not publish personal opinion on cases, those are stuck, reports BSS.

He came up with the observations while talking to newsmen after coming out of meeting with envoys of Switzerland, Sweden, the UN and UNDP at his ministry office on Sunday.

When asked about High Court's recent direction on bar to publishing report on under-trial cases, the minister said, "I want to tell you clearly, there is a meaning of expression 'sub-judice'. Sub judice is such a case which is under-trial but the trial proceeding is not going on. Supreme Court has given circular not to give personal opinion about that type of under trial cases, whose proceeding is not going on."

The minister said he doesn't think the apex court directed to stop reporting on any under- trial cases.

"If you start giving opinion about under-trial cases, thing that will happen is there will be a media trial. A kind of pressure will be created on the judges. That is why they have said these. I want to make it clear, you have to separate the reporting and expressing personal opinion," he added.