Namibian editors condemn online publication of suicide pics

EXPRESSING dismay, the Editors’ Forum of Namibia on Tuesday condemned weekly tabloid Informanté’s publication of photos of the suicide of a murder suspect.

“The Editors’ Forum of Namibia (EFN) learnt with dismay of Informanté’s Facebook publication of the photo depicting murder accused Ivan Pitt of Swakopmund hanging from the ceiling in the garage of the house where he allegedly murdered Lindie Prinsloo,” the EFN statement reads.

“Although Informanté is not a signed up member of the EFN, this graphic content constitutes unethical and insensitive journalism which brings the Namibian media in general in disrepute with its readers and online audiences,” the strongly worded statement adds.

“Irrespective of what the deceased allegedly did, he was a father, son and family member loved by those close to him,” it continues. “The Informanté post did not give the care and consideration to the feelings and dignity of the bereaved family.”

While many visitors to the Informanté Facebook page shared the post online and it subsequently went viral, many other online commentators have also expressed displeasure at the sharing of the photo of Pitt hanging by his neck in a Swakopmund garage.

Aside from disregarding globally accepted standards around graphic and disturbing images, the EFN said “the Informanté post did not give the care and consideration to the feelings and dignity of the bereaved family. Neither was a prominent warning given that the content is graphic and inappropriate for certain audiences.”

“The EFN wants to emphasise the importance of responsible journalism in which journalists maintain the highest standards in order [to maintain] credibility and keep the trust of the public, as it is spelt out in the preamble of the Code of Ethics and Conduct,” the EFN statement concludes.

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