Index on Censorship » slander

Brazil: Publisher and journalists to pay 170,000 USD for criticising judge

Marta Cooper — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:27:13 +0000

The Brazilian Superior Court of Justice this week sentenced J.L. Editora, publisher of the newspaper Folha do Espirito Santo, and journalists Jackson Rangel Vieira and Hinger Mansur to pay Judge Camilo José D’Ávila Couto for moral damages. The judge accused the journalists and publisher of publishing articles that distorted facts and contained slanderous content, in which Couto was described as “omnipotent,” “young without experience,” “vindictive,” and “drunk with power.” The judge considered them attacks on his honour, public image and personal integrity.

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Russia: Mikhail Beketov cleared of slander

Intern — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:55:19 +0000

A Russian court has overturned a slander verdict against investigative reporter Mikhail Beketov. On Friday (Dec 10) a Khimki court reversed last month’s conviction, Beketov was originally fined 5,000 roubles after he accused the local mayor of setting fire to his car. The incident left the journalist brain-damaged, unable to speak and crippled. The attacks on Beketov are alleged to be related to his investigation into construction of a motorway through the Khimki forest, which he linked to powerful political and business interests.

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Russia: Disabled journalist convicted of libel

Intern — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:47:09 +0000

A Russian editor who was nearly killed in the attack two years ago, has been convicted of slander. Mikhail Beketov, who is confined to a wheelchair and can barely speak, has been found guilty of insulting the local mayor by the court in Khimki. He has been instructed to compensate damages by paying 500 roubles (100 British pounds). Beketov had been covering the plans to build the road through Khimki’s protected forest. Although the motorway works have been stopped, another journalist and an ecologist have been assaulted this month. Oleg Kashin, a correspondent of Russia’s well-known paper Kommersant, has been badly beaten with an iron bar on Saturday. Two days earlier, Khimki opposition activist Konstantin Fetisov had his skull broken after being released from police, where he was questioned about the protest. Mikhail Mikhailin, editor-in-chief of Kommersant said he is sure the attacks are connected to the articles written about the motorway. It has also been said that they carry the same signature. Before Beketov endured brain damage and lost his right leg and four fingers in the attack in November 2008, his car was set on fire and his dog was killed. Nobody has been brought to court.

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Belarus: Journalists questioned over slander case

Index on Censorship — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:51:39 +0000

Local officials summoned four journalists for questioning as part of their investigation into alleged slandering of a senior KGB officer. Police recently searched the homes of four journalists and seized their computers as part of the investigation into internet reports that claimed KGB officers had fabricated a case against a local police officer. Natalia Radzina of Index on Censorship award nominees charter97.org, Irina Khalip of Novaya Gazeta, and Svetlana Kalinkina and Marina Koktysh of Novaya Volya are awaiting the results of investigations into files stored on their computers, which have still not been returned to them. In a separate development, sources at charter97.org say that a second slander case has been brought against them involving comments posted by users on their website.

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Belarus: prosecutors defend violence against media

Index on Censorship — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:13:36 +0000

The Belarusian Prosecutors Office has said that violent interrogation of journalists is legitimate, report Charter 97, Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award nominees. The Belarusian Association of Journalists wrote an open letter to the Prosecutor in March condemning the use of violent interrogation and beatings of journalists as part of the investigation into an alleged case of slander against the former head of the KGB in the Gomel region, Ivan Korzh. Internet reports alleged that KGB officers had fabricated a case against a police officer, and abused him. In early March, the offices of Charter 97 and European Belarus were raided by the police who confiscated equipment and assaulted staff.

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Kuwait: Journalist gets six-month jail term for slander

Intern — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:27:07 +0000

Kuwaiti journalist Mohammed Abdel Qader Al-Jassem was convicted of slander and sentenced to six months in prison on April 1 for publicly declaring that Prime Minister Skeikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah was unsuitable to run Kuwait and calling for his resignation. Al-Jassem is currently out on bail awaiting the outcome of his appeal against the conviction, he has at least five other government lawsuits outstanding and was fined 7,000 euros in March for an earlier article that criticised the Prime Minister.

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Uzbek photographer pledges to appeal guilty verdict

Intern — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:49:39 +0000

An award winning Uzbek photographer sentenced to jail after a court ruled she had insulted the nation, has been released thanks to an amnesty. Umida Akhmedova said that she had done nothing wrong and will therefore appeal on the verdict. Akhmedova could have faced six months in jail or two years in a labour camp.

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