Criminal Defamation Archives - Page 8 of 15 - Committee to Protect Journalists

A roadside news stand in Asaba, Delta State, in April 2011. A court in Asaba has charged two journalists with criminal defamation. (AFP/ Pius Utomi Ekpei)

Nigerian journalists charged with criminal defamation, breach of peace

October 29, 2019 12:07 PM EDT

New York, October 29, 2019—Authorities should drop all charges against journalists Joe Ogbodu and Prince Amour Udemude, and reform Nigeria’s penal code to ensure that journalism is not criminalized, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

A man reads headlines of a daily newspaper on March 27, 2018, in Freetown. A freelance journalist was charged with criminal defamation in Sierra Leone in September 2019. (AFP/Issouf Sanogo)

Sierra Leone journalist Mahmud Tim Kargbo charged with criminal defamation

October 25, 2019 4:23 PM EDT

Mahmud Tim Kargbo, a freelance reporter in Sierra Leone, was arrested and detained twice in September 2019 after Miatta Samba, an appeals court judge, lodged a complaint with the police against him for a report published September 9, 2019, on his Facebook page and in a WhatsApp group that criticized Samba’s decision to grant bail…

A newspaper stand is seen in Beirut, Lebanon, on January 31, 2019. Judge Ziad Abu Haidar recently filed a criminal defamation suit against Lebanese newspaper Nida al-Watan. (Reuters/Mohamed Azakir)

Lebanese newspaper Nida al-Watan sued over alleged presidential criticism

October 1, 2019 11:11 AM EDT

On September 12, 2019, Lebanese judge Ziad Abu Haidar filed a criminal defamation suit against the Nida al-Watan newspaper as well as its editor-in-chief Beshara Charbel and managing director George Barbari, according to news reports and a report by regional press freedom group Skeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom.

A police officer is seen in N'Djamena, Chad, on July 11, 2015. A N'Djamena court recently charged two Chadian journalists with criminal defamation and sentenced one to jail. (Reuters/Moumine Ngarmbassa)

Journalists fined, one jailed over criminal defamation complaint in Chad

September 25, 2019 4:25 PM EDT

Dakar, September 25, 2019 — Authorities in Chad should not challenge the appeals of journalists Martin Inoua Doulguet and Abdramane Boukar Koyon, and should take immediate action to repeal legislation that criminalizes acts of journalism, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

A journalist films outside the Sulaymaniyah International Airport in January 2019. Journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan say disputes between the region's main political parties, the PDK and PUK, leave the press vulnerable. (AFP/Shwan Mohammed)

Press freedom on ‘brink of extinction’ in Iraqi Kurdistan, journalists say

September 9, 2019 11:19 AM EDT

“Ever since I started working as a journalist nine years ago, I have been under constant pressure from my family, my tribe, and my community to give up journalism. Friends have been asked by security forces to sever ties with me,” said freelance journalist Guhdar Zebari, when he met with CPJ in the empty lobby…

The Honduran National Congress is seen in Tegucigalpa on January 25, 2018. The congress recently announced that it would remove criminal defamation articles from the country's penal code. (AFP/Orlando Sierra)

Honduras to drop criminal defamation from new penal code

September 3, 2019 3:10 PM EDT

Miami, September 3, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed an announcement by the Honduran National Congress that the country will decriminalize defamation and slander.

Police stand guard outside a court in Yangon, Myanmar, on August 9, 2019. The Mandalay District Court recently agreed to hear an appeal that could reopen a criminal defamation lawsuit against editor Swe Win. (Reuters/Ann Wang)

Myanmar court to hear appeal in defamation case against journalist Swe Win

August 29, 2019 10:08 AM EDT

Bangkok, August 29, 2019 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned a decision by Myanmar’s Mandalay District Court to hear an appeal that could reopen a criminal defamation lawsuit against editor Swe Win.

Cameroonian police officers are seen on October 3, 2018. Police recently arrested journalist Paul Chouta on criminal defamation and false news charges. (AFP/Marco Longari)

Cameroonian journalist detained on criminal defamation and false news charges

June 20, 2019 4:30 PM EDT

Abidjan, June 20, 2019 — Cameroonian authorities should immediately release journalist Paul Chouta and drop criminal defamation and false news charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

The Uganda High Court is in Kampala on May 14, 2018. CPJ today called for Ugandan authorities to intervene and end the criminal case against editor Pidson Kareire. (AFP/Isaac Kasamani)

Ugandan editor charged with criminal libel and ‘offensive communication’

June 14, 2019 4:24 PM EDT

Nairobi, June 14, 2019 — Authorities in Uganda should end the criminal proceedings against Pidson Kareire, managing editor of privately owned news website The Drone Media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

The May 26, 2019, front-page of privately owned Kannada-language newspaper Vishwavani. (CPJ)

Police open criminal investigation into Indian journalist Vishweshwar Bhat

June 7, 2019 11:40 AM EDT

On May 26, 2019, Bengaluru police opened a criminal investigation into Vishweshwar Bhat, the editor-in-chief of privately owned Kannada-language newspaper Vishwavani, after a complaint was filed against him by a member of the state’s ruling Janata Dal (Secular) party, according to Indian news portal The News Minute.