Criminal Defamation

Bangkok, June 9, 2020 – Indonesian authorities should immediately release journalist Diantara Putra Sumedi and stop legal proceedings against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police in Kotabaru, South Kalimantan province, have held Diantara in detention since May 4, in response to a criminal defamation complaint filed against him, according to news reports….

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 25 other press freedom organizations today in sending a joint letter to the European Commission calling for reforms to European Union law on defamation.

Washington, D.C., May 3, 2020–Police in Jessore, Bangladesh, should immediately release journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol from custody and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Bangkok, March 17, 2020 — The Myanmar military should immediately drop its criminal defamation complaint against editor Ye Ni and stop using legal threats to stifle reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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.