Judge's suppression order mocked online

Offshore bloggers are thumbing their noses at an historic suppression order issued by a District Court judge preventing the online publication of the names of two men charged with murder.

Judge David Harvey yesterday ordered that internet websites were forbidden from publishing the names of two men charged with murdering 14-year-old John Hapeta in South Auckland on August 12.

The names of the two can be published in newspapers, and broadcast on the radio and television.

One blog has today boasted it is written by an American, hosted in the United States, and subject only to the jurisdiction and laws of the United States of America so is publishing the names of the two.

The blog says:"In protest Im asking bloggers around the world to join me in posting these names - bypassing the New Zealand court order and showing the Judge the true power of the internet! "The post shows a photograph of the two men and dubs Judge Harvey's decision an "oppressive ban".

"You may ask why Im posting their names, why Im trying to break a New Zealand court order, why Im making a bit of a fool of myself.

Well, the answer is simple: I am a staunch supporter of free speech and cannot stand the prevalence of pointless and suppressive limitations on speech, especially on the internet."

Another website initially published the names but has since blanked over them. It now refers to the two by nicknames.

"His (Judge Harvey's) demonstrable idiocy is the new media equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition," the second blog says.

The Press is aware of other websites that could be in potential breach of the order.

University of Canterbury law lecturer and media law expert associate professor Ursula Cheer told Radio New Zealand yesterday the judge's restriction was "absolutely extraordinary".

Media commentator Russell Brown told 3 News that the ruling was "unusual". He said it had the feel of an experiment to it.

Lawyers for Stuff.co.nz are still considering the suppression order.

- © Fairfax NZ News