"French media to stop publishing photos and names of terrorists"

The Guardian:   Several French news organisations have said they will no longer publish photographs of people responsible for terrorist killings, to avoid bestowing “posthumous glorification”.

Le Monde published an editorial after the latest attack, the murder of an elderly priest in a church near Rouen by two men claiming allegiance to Islamic State. Under the headline “Resisting the strategy of hate”, Le Monde argued on Wednesday that all elements of society had to be involved in the struggle against terrorism, and that media organisations had a special role to play.

“The sites and newspapers that produce this information cannot excuse themselves from self-examination on several fronts. Since Isis terrorism first appeared, Le Monde has changed its practices several times,” the newspaper said.

In the aftermath of the Nice attack, a psychoanalyst, Fethi Benslama, who teaches at Paris Diderot university, suggested on French radio: “Perhaps it is time that there was a pact in the media to no longer publish the names and pictures of the perpetrators of these acts, as it’s a really big boost to their efforts to make themselves world famous, even while their victims are anonymous and will remain anonymous.”

Benslama said this “glorification” encouraged others to carry out attacks, “to gain glory in the eyes of their commanders and their friends”. He added: “They leave their identity cards – they want to be identified very quickly.”