Retaining dignity in court room appearances

OUR TV news channels often feature reports of individuals suspected of criminal offences being brought to court. Some of these individuals take great pains to hide their faces while they are being led to the court room by police or prison officials. They are normally clad in orange or purple lock-up T-shirts and are either handcuffed or held in chains.

In most cases, they do not want to be photographed so they use various means to cover their face. They use their hands, pull their T-shirt over their head or use other pieces of clothing like handkerchiefs or scarves to cover themselves.

They also adopt a common posture, which is to bend their head and top half of their body all the way down to the level of their knees, so that the cameras do not capture their face. This desire to be “hidden” is a normal human behaviour.

Ironically, for those who already know them, it makes no difference whether their faces are hidden or not. One can understand their anguish as they have yet to be proven guilty. For those who are acquitted, it would have been a shameful and nightmarish episode for them.

Make no mistake; crimes are not to be condoned but human dignity should not be compromised in the process of proving one’s guilt or innocence. A thought comes to mind; why not provide the accused with paper hoods that have two little openings for the eyes? This way, the accused can walk up to the court room upright.

LIONG KAM CHONG Seremban