DOHA: The parents of Villaggio Mall fire victims say they expect the lower criminal court hearing the tragic case to hand its verdict on June 20, but add that they are prepared to fight a long legal battle to get justice as the matter will go in appeal.
“Obviously, we don’t expect the verdict by the lower court to be final. We know the matter will go in appeal, so we are prepared for a protracted legal fight,” an aggrieved parent told this newspaper yesterday.
He said all the witnesses in the case had testified and were cross-examined by the prosecution as well as the defence. “We have been told that the verdict is due on June 20, so we are waiting,” said the parent whose small child perished in the inferno that gutted the illegal Gympanzee nursery in the Mall on May 28, 2012.
Meanwhile, in an article posted on the website of the Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF), the local media have been blasted for what is viewed as their timid role in covering the court trial of the tragic incident. A year has passed since the fire but there is still anger, resentment and frustration within the community in Qatar, says the write-up. “The terrible event has raised questions about transparency, accountability and especially the local media’s role in informing the public about this horrific incident.”
“Many questions were left unanswered but it managed to stir a debate on the credibility of the local media and the way journalism is conducted in Qatar.”
The article quotes prominent Qatari writer and journalist, Abdulaziz Al Mahmoud, as saying local newspapers are filled with press handouts and shun critical content. “The newspapers lack ‘real stories’,” said Al Mahmoud, adding that he believes the local media have to “wake up”.
The author of the write-up praises local news website Doha News for its “in-depth” coverage of the incident and the court trial and for releasing recently a 57-page e-book documenting the tragedy and the questions surrounding it.
The article, though, in passing acknowledges that this newspaper was also part of the media organisations that did focus on the coverage of the trial.
This newspaper has to date carried some 70 articles on the issue, many of them on the court trial. In fact, it was the first to say that hearing in the case was slated to begin on September 6, 2012.
It was another matter that the hearing was put off not only on September 6 but on several occasions later due to the absence of the prime accused. The coverage was stopped when this newspaper’s reporter on the beat was asked to seek written permission from the trial court that never came. A parent asking not to be named for fear of offending other media organisations said that it is not right to blame the entire local media for ignoring the court trial of the devastating mall fire.
“Doha News and The Peninsula were very active, so to blame the local media isn’t justified. I think they should blame sections of the local media for the lapse,” said the parent. “That would be more appropriate.” Legal circles, meanwhile, say cases being heard by courts are sub judice so the practice in Qatar is for newspapers to seek permission from the court to cover a particular trial. If a court doesn’t permit a reporter to cover its proceedings in a case, that’s the end of it. “You cannot breach a court’s order unless you are prepared to be sued for contempt,” said a legal expert.The Peninsula
