Press Council examines media reports about priests suspected of pedophilia
The Swiss Press Council plans to scrutinize media coverage of sexual abuse by priests. The investigation will focus on possible violations of the presumption of innocence and the right to be forgotten.
The Swiss Press Council wants to scrutinize media coverage of sexual assaults by priests. The investigation will focus on possible violations of the presumption of innocence and the right to be forgotten. The chamber in French-speaking Switzerland has been tasked with collecting media material and conducting a preliminary discussion on the topic, Press Council Secretary Martin Künzi told the news agency SDA on Thursday. The Press Council has taken action on its own initiative without a corresponding complaint. According to Künzi, it may take several months before the Press Council issues a public statement.
The trigger for the Press Council was probably the case of a Neuchâtel priest who committed suicide on February 3. The priest had been suspected of pedophile abuse in the early 1980s.
In a suicide note, he cited the "media hunt" as the reason for his suicide. The priest's family claimed the right to be forgotten, as the case happened more than 20 years ago. On Tuesday, the vicar general of the diocese of Basel criticized the media's coverage of sexual assaults (see
).
The trigger for the Press Council was probably the case of a Neuchâtel priest who committed suicide on February 3. The priest had been suspected of pedophile abuse in the early 1980s.
In a suicide note, he cited the "media hunt" as the reason for his suicide. The priest's family claimed the right to be forgotten, as the case happened more than 20 years ago. On Tuesday, the vicar general of the diocese of Basel criticized the media's coverage of sexual assaults (see
).
