Media Watch has accused the ABC of over-reaching in its reporting of the Royal Australian Navy's alleged mistreatment of asylum seekers, claiming the national broadcaster "got it wrong" and should admit its mistake.

ABC News has been attacked for airing unverified claims from Indonesian police that asylum seekers were forced by navy personnel to hold hot pipes on boat engines.

The mistreatment allegations were first reported last month by international press before being repeated by local media, including the ABC.

But Media Watch host Paul Barry argued that ABC News "over-reached" by airing the comments from Indonesian police.