25 May 2006

CRIMINAL DEFAMATION LAW REPEALED


Journalists in Macedonia can no longer be jailed for defamation offences, thanks to an amendment to the criminal code passed by Macedonia's parliament on 10 May 2006, says Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Previously, journalists convicted of defamation could be jailed for up to three years. The amendment, which takes effect on 23 May, followed an international conference held by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) last February at which legal experts, journalists, civil society activists and government officials agreed on the need to decriminalise defamation.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti hailed the move, saying it will end the chilling effect that criminal defamation laws have on free expression and press freedom.

"If [journalists] are not under threat of being imprisoned for practicing their profession, editors, reporters and commentators will perform their duty by informing citizens, and contribute to greater transparency in public life," said Haraszti.

International human rights experts from the OSCE, the United Nations and the Organization of American States have repeatedly stressed that criminal defamation laws are an infringement on freedom of expression and should be replaced with appropriate civil defamation laws.

However, criminal defamation laws remain on the statutes of many European countries. According to a recent survey by the Council of Europe, more than 30 countries still have such laws, including France, Austria and the Netherlands.
Visit these links:
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17725
- OSCE Representative on Media Freedom: http://www.osce.org/fom/item_1_18967.html
- OSCE Conference Resolution on Defamation: http://www.osce.org/documents/html/pdftohtml/18018_en.pdf.html
- ARTICLE 19 Principles on Defamation: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/standards/definingdefamation.pdf
- Council of Europe Survey of Defamation Laws in Europe: http://tinyurl.com/zskaq


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Also from the Communiqué, 25 May 2006

NEPAL: PARLIAMENT ABOLISHES REPRESSIVE MEDIA LAW 24 May 2006 PHILIPPINES: ANOTHER JOURNALIST KILLED 25 May 2006 INTERNATIONAL: WAN PROJECT TO BOOST INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS 25 May 2006 SWAZILAND: MEDIA LAWS TO BE REVIEWED; MEDIA WATCHDOG LAUNCHED 25 May 2006 IRAN: TAKE ACTION! IRANIAN SCHOLAR DETAINED 25 May 2006 INTERNATIONAL: OAS Report Surveys Free Expression in the Americas 25 May 2006 INTERNATIONAL: ZIMBABWEAN, IRANIAN SHARE MARTIN ENNALS HUMAN RIGHTS PRIZE 25 May 2006

Macedonia

IFJ supports campaign for independent journalism and pluralism 8 July 2011 IFJ calls for A1TV network to be allowed to continue broadcasting following political and judicial pressure 2 February 2011 Premises of A1 TV headquarters allegedly blocked by police in Skopje 29 November 2010 IFJ condemns television call for violence against journalists 19 May 2010 "Shqip Media" newspaper journalists stopped and searched by police on their way to cover election campaign 12 March 2009 See all alerts: Macedonia


Balkans

CROATIA: IPI calls for professionalisation of public broadcaster 20 January 2012 KOSOVO (SERBIA): Police allegedly assault reporter 16 January 2012 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: IPI calls on politician to respect and support public broadcasters 21 December 2011 SERBIA: ANEM concerned about proposed Cinematography Act 16 December 2011 CROATIA: IPI condemns new death threats against journalist 14 December 2011


 
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