The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns over the growing trend of media trials, especially when confessional statements of accused individuals—made while in police custody—are recorded and broadcasted. In a strongly worded judgment, the court ruled that such confessions are inadmissible in legal proceedings unless recorded in front of a magistrate.
The verdict, authored by Justice Athar Minallah, came during a criminal appeal in which a man previously sentenced to death was acquitted by the apex court. His conviction had relied heavily on a televised confession and circumstantial evidence.
The judgment emphasized that media-recorded confessions while in custody risk violating the basic principle of “innocent until proven guilty.” “These media-led confessions can cause irreversible damage—not just to the accused but also to the integrity of the judicial process,” Justice Minallah noted.
He further warned that allowing public perception to shape the narrative of guilt can potentially lead to the conviction of innocent individuals while the real perpetrators go free.
“It’s not unusual,” the judgment said, “for reporters to gain access to suspects in custody. But when such statements are broadcast, particularly in high-profile cases, they create public pressure that can influence not just viewers, but even judges.”
The court stressed that the media has immense power to influence narratives, which can be easily misused in societies where freedom of expression is already under pressure. With that power, the judgment added, comes a heightened ethical responsibility: the media must balance public interest with the rights and dignity of those involved in criminal cases.
Justice Minallah reminded investigators and law enforcement to act with utmost caution. “Every accused person has the right to a fair trial, to be presumed innocent, and to have their privacy and dignity respected,” he said.
The judgment concluded by calling on both the media and those involved in the criminal justice system to avoid contributing to the creation of guilt by perception, urging everyone involved to uphold the principles of fairness, respect, and justice.
