“This case perfectly illustrates that as long as criminal libel laws remain on the books, the risk of their abuse — and of a potential chilling effect on the wider media community — remains. We strongly encourage Iceland, which had previously positioned itself as a strong defender of freedom of expression and information, to carry out the necessary reforms to bring its libel laws in line with international standards. In addition to the repeal of all criminal provisions, these reforms should include the capping of civil damages and, critically, a clause protecting journalists from liability as long as they have acted in good faith and observed standard ethical practices.”
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:23:48 +0000