SINGAPORE - Gag orders are common in court proceedings and protect the parties involved from exposure, including victims of crimes, but such orders have also been a source of consternation for seemingly shielding the accused.

For instance, there was some disquiet when it emerged that a Singaporean student from a top British university could not be named even though he had admitted last month to filming multiple women in places here, such as toilets. This was because of a court order to protect the identities of his victims.