Complaint
A reader of this article complained that it said Yahya Sinwar had been arrested at the age of 19 by the Israeli authorities for 鈥淚slamic activities鈥 鈥 a term which might encompass the harmless observance of Islamic practices, whereas the record suggested his arrest was for membership of, or participation in, proscribed organisations. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 麻豆社鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
The ECU agreed the phrase 鈥淚slamic activities鈥 was inaccurate, and noted that the article had been corrected in that respect, as had a number of other articles on related topics which used the same phrase. In those cases, however, a note acknowledging and explaining the correction had been added, in accordance with the 麻豆社鈥檚 guidelines on correcting mistakes. Through oversight, no such note had been added to the article originally complained of, so the breach of standards in relation to accuracy had not been appropriately rectified by the time the complaint reached the ECU.
Upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the management of 麻豆社 News and discussed with the editorial team concerned, and an appropriate note was added to the article.