14 Jul 2010 | Index Index, minipost
Yesterday (13 July), the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation to protect US journalists and publishers from “libel tourism”. The SPEECH (Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage) Act will now go before the full senate. The impetus for the bill follows a number of law suits instigated against American writers in foreign courts in order to exploit their weak libel laws. For example, New York based academic Rachel Ehrenfeld was sued in London despite only 23 copies of her book, on the financing of terrorism, being sold in the UK. If passed, the proposal will prevent federal courts from recognising foreign libel ruling that are inconsistent with the First Amendment and will allow affected persons to apply for a declaratory judgement confirming that verdicts against them are non-enforceable. The bill, co-sponsored by Democrat Patrick Leahy and Republican Jeff Sessions, is believed to have a high prospect of being enacted because of its broad cross-party support.
30 Jun 2010 | News and features
My victory over “his Holiness” reignites the debate on the place of religion in secular courts but the ordeal is not over yet. Hardeep Singh reports
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16 Jun 2010 | Events
Lord Lester Introduces His Defamation Private Members’ Bill
22 June
12.00pm – 2.00pm
Free Word Centre
The Libel Reform Campaign presents Lord Lester to introduce his Defamation Private Members’ Bill at the Free Word Centre. On 27 May, Lord Lester tabled his Private Members’ Bill in the House of Lords. At the event he will introduce his Bill, explain what he seeks to redress and his public interest defence.
Free Word Centre
60 Farringdon Road
London
EC1R 3GA
15 Apr 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
A Zimbabwean government minister is suing a newspaper for defamation after it published accusations of corruption. The state-owned Chronicle newspaper will face Byl Manyange in the High Court next month, after reporting remarks allegedly made by mining minister Obert Mpofu, which suggested Manyange procured services for undeserving individuals. Mpofu now denies making the comments at a police function in Ntabazinduna last year.
