Hearing on petition against filming interviews of prisoners adjourned

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday adjourned until July 3 the hearing of a petition challenging the recording and dissemination of interviews of accused held in jails and police custody.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Wiqar Ahmad heard the case.

During the proceedings, Justice Arshad Ali observed that such interviews can influence ongoing cases, while Justice Wiqar Ahmad remarked that police officials often positioned the accused persons in front of cameras.

The petition was being pursued by Advocate Jabar Khan with Advocate Ziaur Rehman Tajik representing him in court. Advocate Shumail Ahmad Butt appeared as an amicus curiae.Advocate Tajik informed the bench that detainees were being interviewed inside prisons and lockups often in the presence of police officials. These interviews are then widely circulated on social media platforms, he added.

He argued that these recordings were not made by mainstream media professionals but by YouTubers and individuals who created social media accounts, which raised serious legal and ethical concerns.

He added that in the current digital era, anyone can walk in with a microphone and start recording statements of inmates, which constitutes a breach of privacy and legal protocol.Amicus curiae Advocate Butt told the court that he had only just been appointed to assist in the case and had not yet reviewed the details, but described it as a significant and interesting legal matter. He expressed concern that such interviews were even being submitted as evidence in courts.

Justice Arshad Ali reiterated that these practices can impact the fairness of the legal process, while Justice Wiqar Ahmad noted that police themselves were sometimes complicit in facilitating these recordings.