Croatia abolishes prison sentences for defamation
03/July/2006
Croatia is now the third Southeast European country to abolish criminal punishment for defamation in the past year, following Serbia and Macedonia.
There were several Croatian journalists convicted for defamation in 2004 and 2005. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe negotiated with the government to change the law, by moving defamation from the criminal code to the civil code.
Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE media freedom representative, said the move was an important step toward freer media.
“This change will boost the self-confidence of the press and also improve its professionalism," Haraszti said.
OSCE: http://www.osce.org/item/19716.html.
Reporters Without Borders: http://www.rsf.org/country-53.php3?id_mot=505&Valider=OK.
http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=305196
OSCE media watchdog praises Croatia's abolition
of prison sentences for defamation
Croatia abolishes prison sentences for defamation
03/July/2006
Croatia is now the third Southeast European country to abolish criminal punishment for defamation in the past year, following Serbia and Macedonia.
There were several Croatian journalists convicted for defamation in 2004 and 2005. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe negotiated with the government to change the law, by moving defamation from the criminal code to the civil code.
Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE media freedom representative, said the move was an important step toward freer media.
“This change will boost the self-confidence of the press and also improve its professionalism," Haraszti said.
OSCE: http://www.osce.org/item/19716.html.
Reporters Without Borders: http://www.rsf.org/country-53.php3?id_mot=505&Valider=OK.
http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=305196
OSCE media watchdog praises Croatia's abolition
of prison sentences for defamation