Costa Rica

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From the Communiqué

24 February 2010

Prison terms removed from press law

In a press freedom victory, a Costa Rican court recently reformed a press law by eliminating a clause that imposed prison terms of up to 120 days for defamation in print, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
14 June 2006

ARCHAIC DEFAMATION LAWS HAMPER PRESS FREEDOM

Outdated defamation laws used to silence critical journalism in Costa Rica are incompatible with international human rights standards and fly in the face of recent rulings by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, say the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

See all articles: Costa Rica



Reports

5 November 2008

General Assembly 2008 Country Report: Costa Rica

8 May 2008

Report to the Midyear Meeting 2008: Costa Rica




See all reports: Costa Rica

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Alerts

Court eliminates prison terms for defamation, but criminal convictions still possible 16 February 2010 Two convicted in murder of journalist Parmenio Medina 31 December 2007 COSTA RICA: Justice minister tells CPJ that government opposes press restrictions 21 July 2006 Congress considering a bill that would further restrict press freedom 12 June 2006 Supreme Court upholds prison terms for defamation and insult 10 May 2006 Security guard fires upon journalist 27 February 2006 Allegations of corruption in granting of radio frequencies 2 June 2005 "La Nación" newspaper the target of two shooting incidents in less than a month 29 March 2005 Inter-American Court of Human Rights overturns defamation sentence against Costa Rican journalist 6 August 2004 WPFC submits amicus curiae brief on behalf of journalist fighting criminal defamation sentence 29 April 2004 IAPA calls for more action on crimes against journalists 2 April 2004 Criminal defamation laws must be scrapped, ARTICLE 19 says 1 April 2004 PERIODISTAS files amicus curiae briefs in defamation cases 11 March 2004 CPJ submits brief to Inter-American Court of Human Rights on criminal defamation case 20 February 2004 Journalist murdered 29 December 2003 RSF calls for results in investigation on second anniversary of radio journalist Parmenio Medina's death 10 July 2003 Inter-American Court of Human Rights to hear criminal defamation case 27 February 2003 On first anniversary of journalist's death, RSF concerned that crime remains unpunished 5 July 2002 WPFC applauds elimination of Costa Rica's "Insult" Law; Further Reforms Are Needed 27 March 2002 IAPA calls for reversal of anti-press freedom court ruling against private television station 31 December 2001 Four months after journalist Parmenio Medina's murder, his assassins are still at large 7 November 2001 Concern over government's decision to limit access to information on its activities 2 November 2001 Inter-American Court of Human Rights grants relief to local paper 4 October 2001 Costa Rican president accuses Nicaraguan press of escalating conflict 28 September 2001 IAPA welcomes Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling on journalist and newspaper 14 September 2001 See all alerts: Costa Rica
 
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