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total countries/territories: 46
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| Country/Territory |
Answers |
Comments |
Verified |
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Albania
|
b. No
|
N.A.
In its 2002 report The Cost of Speech: Violations
of Media Freedom in Albania, Human Rights Watch (HWR) called for the
repeal of all criminal defamation laws in force in Albania, noting that these
laws “are frequently used and abused by governments and the powerful to
harass, intimidate, and punish the critical media.”
Intimidation, unlawful arrests, and physical attacks against journalists
are still widespread throughout the country and go largely unpunished.
Carried out by police officials and organized crime groups, the attacks usually
respond to press criticism of politicians and government officials. “The
rise in violent attacks and defamation actions against the press by state officials
accused of corruption appears also to coincide with an increased maturity,
courage, and investigative capacity of the Albanian media in general,”
HRW noted.
Source:
Freedom House
|
2012/02/21
|
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Armenia
|
b. No
|
|
2005/03/24
|
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Australia
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b. No
|
Last (and most notable) case was in the 1950s for two journalists jailed for contempt of Parliament.
|
2006/04/03
|
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Austria
|
b. No
|
|
2005/06/09
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Azerbaijan
|
a. Yes
|
At least six journalists were jailed in Azerbaijan for their work at the time of CPJ's most recent prison census, released December 2019.
Source:
https://www.voanews.com/a/press-freedom_azerbaijan-jails-journalist-16-years/6198555.html#:~:text=At%20least%20six%20journalists%20were,prison%20census%2C%20released%20December%202019.
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2022/02/07
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Bahrain
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a. Yes
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Authorities applied the law in at least three cases. In March, prosecutors charged editor Mansour al-Jamri and reporter Hussein Khalaf, both with the independent daily Al-Wasat, with violating a government-imposed media blackout surrounding the arrests of three alleged members of a terrorist cell. The journalists face up to six months in prison and a 1,000 dinar (US$2,650) fine if convicted, according to the papers lawyer.
In September, Radhi al-Musawi, a member of the local political group National Democratic Action Society, was briefly detained and charged with defaming a government tourism agency employee. The employee had been accused of corruption in the groups newsletter, Al-Democrati.
Editor-in-chief Anwar Abdul Rahman and reporter Mariam Ahmed, both of the Arabic daily Akhbar al-Khaleej, were tried on charges of defaming several judges of an Islamic religious court. The case came after their newspaper ran a report in May about a Bahraini woman who staged a hunger strike outside the Justice Ministry after losing custody of her two daughters in the court.
Source:
http://www.cpj.org/attacks03/mideast03/bahrain.html
|
2006/05/08
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Belarus
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a. Yes
|
Libel suits were used in 2003 as a tool of repression and to settle personal scores. BDG journalist Iryna Makavetskaya was fined on October 1 in a criminal libel suit against her coverage of the investigation into the case of Jury Bandazheuski, a Homel University professor and Chernobyl activist sentenced to eight years in jail in 2001. Another libel suit was awarded on September 26, 2003, to the National State TV and Radio Company (NDTRK) against Maryna Koktysh, a journalist of Narodnaja Volia, and Eleanora Jazerskaja, a former employee of the First National Channel (BT-1), for accusing NDTRK head Jahor Rybakou of taking Jazerskajas show off the air and facilitating the overall decay of BT-1. Narodnaja Volia was hit with a fine of 50 million Belarusian rubles (US$24,000), and Jazerskaja and Koktysh were fined 3 million rubles (US$1,400) each. NDTRK appealed the sentence, and the appeal court increased the fines by five times for Narodnaja Volia and three times for Jazerskaja.
Source:
Freedom House, von Steinsdorff, Das politische System Weißrußlands In: Ismayr: Die politischen Systeme Osteuropas, 2.ed, 2004, pp. 457 et seq.
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2006/04/03
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Belgium
|
b. No
|
|
2012/05/08
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Benin
|
b. No
|
Source:
Mr Theodule Nouatchi, lecturer in law at the University of Benin (Cotonou).
|
2005/06/30
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
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b. No
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2005/03/29
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Brazil
|
b. No
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|
2024/10/21
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Bulgaria
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b. No
|
The Bulgarian Penal Code relating to libel and insult was changed in 2000. The amendments restricted the possibilities for criminal prosecution. The Prosecutor's Office no longer has the power to initiate proceedings when insult and libel are directed towards officials in duty, or in connection to their duties. Criminal prosecution is now only possible when the adversely affected party files a complaint. Moreover, the maximum punishment for libel and insult is now a fine of 7, 000 euros, while before it was prison.
Source:
http://www.ejc.nl/jr/emland/specialreport.html
http://www.ejc.nl/jr/emland/bulgaria.html
|
2007/01/31
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Canada
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b. No
|
Source:
Elections Canada
|
2006/12/11
|
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Croatia
|
b. No
|
Source:
www.ejc.nl/jr/emland/croatia.html
|
2005/11/14
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Czech Republic
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a. Yes
|
Source:
http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2004/Art/0624/news7.php
See also:
http://www.penclub.at/wip/caselist/europe.html the trial of Michal ZITKO
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2006/11/30
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Djibouti
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a. Yes
|
Source:
http://www.ifjafrique.org/english/fijenligne/040803_2.htm
|
2005/05/09
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Egypt
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a. Yes
|
Source:
http://www.internews.org/arab%5Fmedia%5Fresearch/egypt.pdf
|
2005/06/22
|
|
Eritrea
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a. Yes
|
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm
|
2011/06/22
|
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Germany
|
b. No
|
|
2021/11/20
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Greece
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b. No
|
|
2012/04/13
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Hungary
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a. Yes
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A journalist is charged with "deliberate breach of a state secret" under Article 221 of the Hungarian Penal Code.
Two right-wing journalists were given a suspended 10 and 8 months jail sentence.
Real problems emerge sometimes with extreme right-wing hate speech cases in media
Source:
http://canada.ifex.org/fr/content/view/full/62705/
http://www.nol.hu/cikk/168167/
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2007/01/29
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Ireland
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b. No
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2005/06/22
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Italy
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b. No
|
|
2010/07/02
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Kenya
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b. No
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|
2012/03/28
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Lesotho
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b. No
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According to Reporters Without Borders, no journalists are currently imprisoned or facing criminal charges for exercising their professionalism. However, radio host Thabo Thakalekoala of privately-owned Harvest FM, was jailed but let out on bail in June 2007. He was imprisoned for three days for reading a letter on the air demanding the prime minister's resignation that was reportedly given to him by members of the armed forces. Thabo was initially accused of high treason, but the charges were dropped to failing to report subversive activity.
Source:
"Radio Host freed on bail, charged with failing to report subversive activity," Reporters Without Borders: http://en.rsf.org/lesotho-radio-host-freed-on-bail-charged-26-06-2007,22694.html
|
2015/03/13
|
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Liechtenstein
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b. No
|
|
2005/06/09
|
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Lithuania
|
b. No
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|
2005/03/29
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Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
|
b. No
|
N.A.
Imprisonment is not practiced, however, some milder forms of threating journalists are more common.
Source:
Freedom House
|
2005/05/26
|
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Malaysia
|
b. No
|
Source:
Suhaila Norsham, Secretary of International Relation Committee, Election Commission of Malaysia
|
2007/01/21
|
|
Montenegro
|
a. Yes
|
For example investigative journalist Jovo Martinovic.
Source:
https://ipi.media/conviction-of-montenegro-journalist-jovo-martinovic-widely-condemned/
|
2021/12/24
|
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Morocco
|
a. Yes
|
On May 21, journalist Ali Lmrabet was sentenced under the press code to 4 years imprisonment and fined $2000 (20,000 DH) for disrespect to the King, disparaging the monarchy, and challenging the country's territorial integrity. Lmrabet began a hunger strike before his trial, which he continued for 54 days. On June 17, his sentence was reduced to 3 years on appeal.
On June 5, Mustapha Alaoui, editor of the newspaper Al Usbua was arrested after his newspaper published a statement from an organization called Assaiqa that claimed to be involved in some of the May 16 attacks. The Government argued that his actions undermined public security. Alaoui, who was not jailed, received a 1-year suspended sentence, a fine of $50 (500 DH), and his newspaper was banned for 3 months.
Source:
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27934.htm
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2007/01/29
|
|
New Zealand
|
b. No
|
|
2024/07/12
|
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Niger
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b. No
|
Source:
Pr Niandou Souley Abdoulaye
|
2005/06/07
|
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Palestine
|
a. Yes
|
Source:
http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/Mena/palestin.htm
http://www.worldaudit.org/presstext.htm
http://www.cpj.org/attacks03/mideast03/israel.html#pat
|
2005/06/22
|
|
Portugal
|
b. No
|
|
2005/06/14
|
|
Romania
|
a. Yes
|
|
2005/03/30
|
|
Russian Federation
|
a. Yes
|
Sergei Reznik
Source:
https://cpj.org/2015/01/imprisoned-russian-journalist-sentenced-to-new-thr.php
|
2016/06/06
|
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Seychelles
|
a. Yes
|
Source:
Seychelles - 2004 Annual Report available at http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=10196
|
2005/05/12
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
a. Yes
|
MR. PAUL KAMARA, PROPRIETOR AND MANAGINGH EDITOR OF 'FOR DI PEOPLE' NEWS PAPER
|
2005/06/09
|
|
Slovakia
|
b. No
|
In earlier cases the investigation has been stopped without filing charges
Source:
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41707.htm
|
2005/04/02
|
|
Slovenia
|
b. No
|
|
2005/04/11
|
|
Somalia
|
a. Yes
|
Source:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=106410&messageid=1083185246&lp=1083185246
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Sudan
|
a. Yes
|
On 3 May, Yusuf al-Beshir Musa, correspondent of Al-Sahafa in Nyala, South Darfur, was arrested by security forces for writing an article about the destruction of Sudan air force planes and helicopters in El Fasher airport by the separatist rebel Sudan Liberation Army.
Source:
2003 World Press Freedom Review
http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/Mena/sudan.htm
|
2006/11/20
|
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Sweden
|
b. No
|
|
2012/05/15
|
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Tunisia
|
a. Yes
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The main press violations this year were the cases of Zouhair Yahyaoui, Abdallah Zouari, Hamadi Jebali and Om Zeid. Hamadi Jebali was sentenced by Tunis Military Court to 16 years imprisonment in 1992, for "belonging to an illegal organisation". He was sentenced to 16 years of prison right after he finished serving a one-year sentence for publishing an article critical of the country's military court system. Jebali, who was also director of the weekly, Al-Fajr, began a hunger strike on 17 January in protest against his maltreatment during the prison sentence.
On 14 February, Jebali was taken to hospital. Jebali has staged many hunger strikes but this was his longest one since his arrest. He is still facing severe restrictions on family visits.
Zouhair Yahyaoui, who in July 2001 founded the news Web site TUNeZINE to spread news about pro-democracy activities in Tunisia, was arrested on 4 June 2002 and sentenced on 10 July 2002 to two years in prison for "spreading false news." Zouhair Yahyaoui was released on 18 November 2003 after having spent 18 months in prison.
Source:
2003 World Press Freedom Review
http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/Mena/tunisia.htm#2002%20World%20Press%20Freedom%20Review
|
2005/05/08
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