Defamation Archives - Page 28 of 40 - Committee to Protect Journalists

A security guard at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral, right, runs toward Pussy Riot supporters holding Cyrillic letters reading 'Blessed are the Merciful' in Moscow on Aug. 15. (AP/Novaya Gazeta, Yevgeny Feldman)

Mission Journal: Putin imposes harsh climate on Russia

September 7, 2012 12:26 PM EDT

Record-high temperatures swept most of Europe this summer, but in Moscow the weather, much like the political climate, was chilly. I spent three months in the capital at the invitation of the Russian Union of Journalists, and witnessed how Vladimir Putin’s third term in office kicked off with the passage of restrictive laws, harassment and…

Colombian Supreme Court drops suit against columnist

August 29, 2012 3:34 PM EDT

The Colombian Supreme Court announced on August 27, 2012, that it would drop a defamation complaint against prominent journalist Cecilia Orozco Tascón, according to news reports. Five days earlier, the court released a statement saying it would file charges against Orozco, who writes a widely read column in the Bogotá daily El Espectador. The court…

Colombian Supreme Court sues journalist for defamation

August 27, 2012 4:13 PM EDT

Bogotá, August 27, 2012–Colombia’s Supreme Court must immediately drop an unprecedented criminal defamation complaint against a prominent local columnist who questioned recent actions by the court, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In Egypt, Morsi bans pre-trial detention of journalists

August 23, 2012 5:36 PM EDT

New York, August 23, 2012–Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi banned pre-trial detention of journalists charged with press-related offenses today in a decree issued just hours after a Cairo criminal court jailed an editor pending trial on charges of insulting the president, according to news reports.

Temesghen's articles, published in Feteh, above. (Feteh)

In Ethiopia, Feteh editor jailed during trial

August 23, 2012 5:22 PM EDT

New York, August 23, 2012–Ethiopian authorities must immediately release Temesghen Desalegn, editor of the leading weekly Feteh, who was ordered jailed today pending his trial on defamation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Thousands gathered in December 2011 to protest the alleged vote rigging in parliamentary elections. (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Criminalization of speech a serious setback for Russia

August 23, 2012 5:04 PM EDT

Shortly after the May 7 presidential inauguration of Vladimir Putin, the Russian parliament passed four major bills in record time–all of them meant to counter the protests that first erupted in the country in December 2011.

Council of Europe foreign ministers call for libel reform

August 14, 2012 10:52 AM EDT

Trickling back from the summer recess, European press freedom advocates and media lawyers are taking stock of facts and statements that went underreported during the holiday lull. And libel reform stands on top of the pile.

Internet law: a good bad example of Russia’s backsliding

July 13, 2012 3:16 PM EDT

Russia’s State Duma has passed a number of new laws in the past week, all seemingly aimed at reining in civil society and criticism of public figures. The bills would re-criminalize defamation and impose limits and labels on NGOs. They follow the introduction last month of excessive fines for unauthorized protests.

Russian lawmakers attend a session of the lower house of parliament on July 6, 2012. (AP/Misha Japaridze)

Russian parliament votes to recriminalize defamation

July 11, 2012 5:32 PM EDT

New York, July 11, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned over Russia’s moves to return defamation to the criminal code, and calls on the parliament to reject the restrictive bill on its second reading.

Two Algerian journalists sentenced to prison for libel

July 9, 2012 1:49 PM EDT

New York, July 9, 2012–Algerian appellate courts should reverse rulings against two journalists who were sentenced to prison in June on libel charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.