Dominion Post retracts story that ignored ‘basic principles of reporting’:
On January 30 we ran a story about a 17-year-old Pakistani woman who claimed she had been forced into marriage and held hostage by her ex-husband and his family in Newtown, Wellington.
The story relied on a detailed account from the woman herself that was supported by ethnic women’s support organisation Shakti. We subsequently received information, visual evidence and other material from the ex- husband and his family, which casts considerable doubt over the woman’s allegations.
The Dominion Post acknowledges that some basic principles of reporting were not adhered to and it retracts the woman’s allegations.
The Dominion Post apologises to the ex-husband and his family for any embarrassment and humiliation the story may have caused them.