Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday told reporters that he had ordered the city's Law and Regulation Commission to study the feasibility of an "alternative approach" to the Ministry of the Interior's regulation forbidding criminal suspects from being masked when in the presence of the media.
"Practically, it's difficult to carry out the MOI's policy. We hope to find another way or make a standard regulation to avoid unnecessary conflicts between police and the media," Ma said.
But Taipei City spokesperson Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) denied that the city government was seeking confrontation with the central government on the issue.
"The mayor was just tackling the issue from a practical viewpoint and looking for ways to avoid unnecessary conflicts that might occur between the police, who need to interview suspects, and the media, who need to cover the news. The mayor is just being considerate," Wu said.
Ma said that the MOI's decision would make it more difficult to avoid media exposure for the arrested suspects.
"How do we keep suspects from being filmed or photographed when they are not allowed to wear masks?" the mayor asked.
Ma, backing the view of opponents of the MOI's move who argue for suspects to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise, said suspects should not be identified publicly, something which seriously damages their rights.
The MOI on Jan. 8 ended a five-month-old policy requiring arrested adult criminal suspects to wear masks in front of the media, bowing to critics who say that the policy protects criminals, and complained that those suspected of involvement in sexual offenses and repeat offences should be identified.
Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) announced at the same time that the police would end the common practice of inviting reporters to visit police stations to film and photograph suspects.
The National Police Administration also said that the police would only provide the media with pictures or television footage of suspects who are sought by the authorities or who are unidentified.
Amid speculation that the Taipei City Government's action put it once again at odds with the central government, Wu said that the city government was not deliberately looking for a political spat but had genuine concerns about the issue.
"The media usually gathers in front of police station entrances to spot arrested criminals. If the police prevent media coverage, would they be interfering with the freedom of the press? That's why we are trying to find a solution to the issue," he said.
"Because of this dilemma between law enforcement agencies and the media, Taipei City will look for ways to make alternative rules to the MOI's regulations," Wu said.
Yu said the city could make its suggestion through the proper administrative process, but the local government should not make regulations that are opposed to the central government's.
RSS