Criminal Defamation

Washington, D.C., March 13, 2020 — Bangladesh authorities should spare no effort to locate missing journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol, and should not allow a criminal defamation case to proceed against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Bangkok, March 10, 2020 — The Myanmar army should drop its criminal defamation complaint against the Reuters news agency and should stop using legal threats to intimidate the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

New York, March 5, 2020 — Authorities in Cameroon should not contest journalist Adalbert Hiol’s appeal of a false news and defamation conviction and should let his newspaper publish freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Miami, February 24, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to hear the case of Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo against a criminal defamation suit filed by former President Rafael Correa.

New York, February 18, 2020 — Authorities in Cameroon should immediately release journalist Martinez Zogo, drop all charges against him, and reform the country’s penal code to decriminalize defamation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Berlin, February 10, 2020 — Slovak authorities should immediately drop criminal defamation and slander charges against journalist Michal Havran and stop using the country’s criminal code to prosecute journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Berlin, January 31, 2020 — Greek authorities should overturn the conviction of journalist Kostas Vaxevanis on appeal and reform the country’s outdated criminal defamation laws, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Miami, January 23, 2020 — Authorities in the Dominican Republic should immediately drop all criminal charges against Marino Zapete and stop pursuing criminal defamation cases against journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Vancouver, Canada, January 6, 2020 — Authorities in Chad should release journalist Ali Hamata Achène, and stop pursuing criminal defamation and retaliatory cases against reporters, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Bangkok, January 3, 2020 — Thai authorities should not contest the appeal of journalist Suchanee Cloitre, and should stop charging reporters with criminal defamation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.