Najava kampanje za slobodu govora

24.01.2005.

 

Dear colleagues,

 

The IFJ will this year launch a campaign to assist its affiliates with securing freedom of speech by encouraging governments to abandon criminal libel laws. IFJ Asia is establishing an online defamation working group to develop resources on defamation, including:

 

Ø        best practice legislation on defamation

Ø        information on the role of press councils

Ø        campaigns advocating for fair press laws

Ø        removal of defamation from criminal statues and abolition of insult laws.

 

In preparation, we are asking IFJ affiliates to nominate committee members to participate in an Internet discussion forum on these topics.

 

As background, a number of countries have abolished criminal defamation laws, either partially or completely the last couple of years. In one encouraging move, Sri Lanka’s Parliament unanimously decided to abolish criminal defamation laws.

 

Also, Ghana has improved freedom of speech by beginning the process to repeal criminal libel laws. In addition, Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Ireland, Kenya, Moldova, Paraguay, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine are on the positive list of abandoning criminal libel laws. A few other countries - including France and Bulgaria - have abolished the possibility of imprisonment for defamation.

 

Primarily, it has been European nations, which have abolished prison sentences for defamation. In order for the nations to qualify for membership of the European Union, they need to apply international human rights to national law.

 

Unfortunately, other nations had little incentive to abolish criminal libel laws. Both the African and Asian regions have a number of countries that disregard Article 19 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of freedom of expression. The fight against oppression is an ongoing process and the list of nations, which apply criminal defamation laws to curb the press, is still long.

 We hope you will be able to participate in this important project. To nominate a representative, please email ifj@ifj-asia.org. We are particularly interested in representatives who have experience in: campaigns to fight criminal defamation or insult laws and effective alternative mechanisms for dealing with complaints against the media. Please nominate a representative by Friday 28 January 2005.

Kind regards

 Christopher Warren

President, IFJ

                                               

 

 

Povratak