T&T Judge summons editors to discuss online posts

(Trinidad Guardian) The editors-in-chief of two daily newspapers have been summoned by Justice Mark Mohammed to discuss the comments posted by readers on the newspapers’ Web sites concerning the sedition case of Jamaat al Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr. The issue was first raised yesterday by Bakr’s attorney Wayne Sturge, who suggested that Mohammed speak with the editors in order to possibly remove the Internet comments which appear next to the online articles. Sturge claimed that the comments, posted by readers, may influence jurors in the trial.

Mohammed then issued summonses to the T&T Guardian’s Editor-in-Chief Judy Raymond and her Trinidad Express counterpart Omatie Lyder. Mohammed, however, declined Sturge’s request to summon the Web site administrators of both newspapers, saying the issue of the Web sites fell under the remit of the editors. Both editors are expected to appear before Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court on Monday morning.