The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) today reminded both the media and the public not to identify the five minors to be charged over the death of Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir.
In a statement, Suhakam said that the suspects, all of whom are under 18, are entitled to protection under the Child Act 2001 (Act 611).
“Their identities must not be revealed, directly or indirectly.
“No names, photos, schools or any details that could lead to them being identified should be made public,” it said in a statement.
It added that the suspects would be charged in the children’s court, which is off limits to the public.
It urged social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to update their internal policies for the removal of any content that breaches Section 15 of Act 611, which deals with identifying children.
It said such policies were needed to prevent any further stigmatisation of the children involved.
“Waiting for takedown requests may allow illegal and harmful content to spread widely, defeating the protective intent of the law,” it said.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers said yesterday that several suspects believed to have bullied Zara would be charged in court. Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar later said that five suspects under the age of 18 would be charged.
Zara was found unconscious at 4am on July 16 after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school’s hostel in Papar, Sabah. She died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu the following day.
