By Liu Li-jen and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Taipei Newspapers Association yesterday decried draft enforcement rules to the Suicide Prevention Act (自殺防治法) that prohibits newspapers from printing stories about suicide on the front page, saying that the rule has overstepped the act’s jurisdiction and risks curtailing freedom of the press. 6 and 8 of Article 13, which covers reporting on suicides, could contradict the act’s purpose. The association expressed support for self-regulation by the media, saying that members of the media should follow the guiding principles jointly recommended by the Taiwanese Society of Suicidology and the Taiwanese Suicide Prevention Center when reporting suicides. The association said that it ask the ministry to consult with experts and review the draft with care. Department of Mental and Oral Health Director Chen Li-chung (諶立中) told a news conference yesterday morning that the ministry had consulted with suicide prevention experts, but not the media.
