The leaked photos outrage

Prosecutors are suspected of being responsible for leaking photographs of a female theft suspect involved in a sex scandal with a junior prosecutor who was questioning her, which spread widely across mobile and online social networking platforms.

It is outrageous that law enforcement officers exposed and circulated the identity of a female victim of sexual abuse for fun. The scandal is no longer restricted to the ethics and sexual practices of a single prosecutor who violated a suspect in a vulnerable position. It now is an indictment of the entire prosecution for seriously disregarding the civil rights of an ordinary citizen.

Police embarked on an investigation into the spread of the photographs upon request from the lawyer of the woman being investigated. The lawyer claimed that his defendant is suffering from immense stress and a panic disorder after her identity was exposed before the entire nation and asked for strong actions against those responsible.

Police discovered that 24 prosecutors and investigators unrelated to the investigation into the sex scandal accessed personal details of the female suspect from internal investigation computer files. They summoned them for questioning. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s internal affairs team also said it will investigate the situation and take strong punitive actions if prosecutors are found accountable for leaking the photos.

The lawyer said his client will file liability charges against the state for poor discipline and supervision in a law enforcement agency.

If her allegation is true, the case unquestionably would be a violation of her human rights. As soon as the photos of the victim hit the Internet, bloggers buzzed about the sensational news and her face, and comments about her, immediately became top search topics.

It is a despicable crime against a human’s dignity. The case should not be botched as a result of the endless power struggle between the prosecution and police over investigative authority. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s internal affairs team and the police should separately investigate the case to nail down exactly who is responsible for the spread of the photos.

All of those involved should be punished on criminal charges. The prosecution should be ashamed for its negligence and abuse of its primary role as a defender of human rights. We cannot but question if records of other sexual abuse victims were treated so lightly. The prosecution and police should examine management of records and files.