Human rights at the heart of accountability reporting
How freedom of expression, privacy and the presumption of innocence shape fair accountability reporting in South Asia.
Published 18 October 2026, Rights guide
Accountability reporting sits between two sets of rights. The public has a right to information about how power and public money are used. The people named in that reporting keep their rights too: to privacy, to reputation and to be presumed innocent until a court decides otherwise. Good reporting respects both.
The international framework
India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are all parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Pakistan ratified it in 2010. Three of its articles matter most for this work.
- Article 19, freedom of expression. Everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information. Restrictions must be provided by law and necessary for specific aims such as respect for the rights or reputations of others, national security or public order.
- Article 17, privacy. No one should be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy or attacks on their honour and reputation.
- Article 14, fair trial. Everyone charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out the same principles in Articles 11, 12 and 19, and each country's constitution protects freedom of speech, subject to its own stated limits.
What this means for how we publish
These rights explain several of our editorial rules.
- Allegations are never presented as findings. Every claim is labelled with its status, from allegation to court finding, appeal or acquittal, because the presumption of innocence applies until a court rules.
- Privacy is limited to what serves the public interest. We publish personal details only when they are necessary to understand misuse of public power or money, and we leave out family members, addresses and health information unless they are central to the story.
- The subject is asked to respond. People and institutions receive specific questions and reasonable time to reply before publication. See our right of response policy.
- Corrections are visible. When a ruling changes or we get something wrong, the file is updated and the change is recorded. See our corrections policy.
Civil and military, the same standard
Human rights protections apply to everyone, including members of the armed forces and officials. Reporting on military institutions follows exactly the same evidence and fairness standard as reporting on civilian ones. Neither group is held to a lower or a harsher bar.
Rights of sources
People who share information also deserve protection from retaliation. Legal protection for whistleblowers varies widely across the region; our guide to whistleblower laws in South Asia explains what exists and its limits.
This briefing explains editorial principles. It is not legal advice.