Journalists of media houses in Ghana that disclosed the identities of two British juveniles being held for allegedly possessing narcotics could be jailed for 12 months. An Attorney at the Attorney General’s Department, Barbara Sackey, told Joy News it is against the law to publish the names and pictures of juveniles involved in criminal cases. She said: “In some of the newspapers you have the pictures of the juveniles, this would lead to the disclosure of their identities. Such particular act was illegal.” She said notwithstanding the fact that the Narcotics Control Board released the names to the media houses, the latter still stands the risk of going to jail. Madam Sackey said: “The penalties are an imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine of 250 penalty units.” It is illegal under section three of the Juvenile Justice Act 653 of Ghana to disclose the identities of minors in custody, regardless of the offence. Since the arrest of the girls however, some media houses have published their names and pictures. She said the A-G’s department does not intend to prosecute any media house now but served notice that henceforth any journalist that falls foul of the law would be prosecuted. Most of the editors Joy News spoke to concurred with the A-G’s stand but said it is “discriminatory and unfortunate” to use the British teens’ case to remind them. Meanwhile, the Ghana Journalists Association has said it will refer the matter to its disciplinary committee for appropriate action against all media houses found culpable. The Vice President of the GJA, Mr Affail Monney told Joy News the publication of the pictures and names of the girls does not only violate the law but also breaches the GJA's code of ethics. He said: “Looking at their age, certainly they need to be protected. Any paper which went beyond the ethical limit to expose them I believe that this was on the wrong side.” Also, the Head of the Legal Team of a London advocacy group, Fair Trials Abroad, Sabine Zanker, is pushing for prosecution against journalists who violated the law. “It will set an example and make others more careful. We have been speaking to the family members of the girls and they are frightened and bewildered. They have decided not to speak to the papers any more…these girls need to be protected,” she said.