Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Prohibit the publication of names of defendants prior to conviction
Closed
18 signatures
What the petition asks
I want the Government to prevent individuals being named in newspapers or on social media before they have been found guilty of a crime.
Even when an innocent person has been found not guilty of a crime this person can have a black mark against their name, when a newspaper has already reported their name in connection with a crime. It can also prevent people from having a fair trial, as jurors may see and be influenced by media reporting. No names of defendants should be able to be published until someone has been found guilty.
Timeline
| 13 Apr 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 13 Oct 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
18
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
13 Apr 2021
Closed
13 Oct 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.