There must be a new public interest defence in the Defamation Bill, scientists, entertainers and campaigners tell Government

June 27th, 2012

Egypt: Journalist fined for defamation

June 20th, 2012

An Egyptian journalist has been fined for defamation after calling for a changes to the editorial staff of Egypt’s state-run newspapers. Hanan Youssef, deputy editor-in-chief of the local newspaper Al-Messa, was fined 10,000 Egyptian pounds (US$1,654) for defaming the paper’s former editor Khaled Imam. Youssef claimed that many Egyptian news outlets included staff members who maintained links to the ruling military regime, but did not name Imam. The journalist, who has  been supportive of the revolution and written critical articles about Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), has said she will appeal the sentence.

UK Parliament debates defamation bill

June 12th, 2012

After the success of the Libel Reform Campaign, the UK government’s Defamation bill will be debated in parliament today

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Thailand: “Uncle SMS” dies during 20-year jail term for insulting monarchy

May 8th, 2012

A Thai man in his 60s who became known as “Uncle SMS” after he was convicted of defaming Thailand’s royal family in text messages has died while serving his 20-year prison term. Amphon Tangnoppakul, whose cause of death was unknown, was arrested in August 2010 and accused of sending four text messages to a government official that were deemed offensive to the queen. He denied sending them, claiming he did not know how to do so. He was convicted of defaming the Thai monarchy last November.  

Montenegro: Journalist jailed for libel

May 1st, 2012

A Montenegro court has jailed a journalist for four months for libel. Journalist Petar Komnenic was convicted in February 2011 over a 2007 report in Montenegrin weekly news magazine Monitor, which alleged that the state had illegally placed several senior judges under surveillance. He was ordered to pay a fine of 3,000 Euros (2,450 GBP) or serve four months in jail. Komnenic refused to pay and appealed to a higher court, which ruled he should do community service instead. But on 18 April a magistrate in the capital Podgorica reinstated the prison sentence.

Thailand: Webmaster’s lese majeste verdict delayed

April 30th, 2012

A verdict in the trial of a webmaster accused of failing to quickly remove online comments deemed insulting to Thailand’s royalty has been postponed. Judge Nittaya Yaemsri said more time was needed to process documents in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, editor of news website Prachatai, with a new court date set for 30 May. Premchaiporn faces up to 20 years in jail for comments posted on the site by users. She is being tried under Thailand’s computer-crime laws, which address hacking and other online offences, but also prohibit the circulation of material deemed detrimental to national security, including defaming the monarchy.

Malaysian columnist fined for defamatory tweets

April 27th, 2012

Well-known Malaysian columnist R Nadeswaran has been ordered to pay 500,000 MYR (£101,193) in damages for comments made on Twitter about a property developer. Nadeswaran allegedly tweeted insults about businessman Mohamed Salim Fateh Din on 12 July and 22 December 2010. The columnist is the first person to be charged with defamation for comments made on Twitter. Nadeswaran told The Sun Daily that he plans to appeal.  

Azerbaijan: Journalist threatened with blackmail

March 9th, 2012

An award-winning journalist in Azerbaijan has been threatened with blackmail. Khadija Ismayilova received photographs of an intimate nature with a threatening note saying unless she stops “behaving improperly”, she will be “defamed.” Ismayilova, who has caused public scandal by writing investigative articles exposing corruption among high-ranking Azerbaijani officials and their families, said on Facebook that the threat was not a surprise to her. The journalist has been targeted by pro-government forces in previous incidents.