(PFC/IFEX) – On 24 February 2004, Chiapas State Governor Pablo Salazar affirmed his intention to approve Criminal Code reforms that include jail sentences for “offences against an individual’s honour”. According to local media outlets, when questioned by journalists, Salazar said, “We are not going to decriminalise defamation.” With respect to the reforms, he added, “We […]
(PFC/IFEX) – On 24 February 2004, Chiapas State Governor Pablo Salazar affirmed his intention to approve Criminal Code reforms that include jail sentences for “offences against an individual’s honour”. According to local media outlets, when questioned by journalists, Salazar said, “We are not going to decriminalise defamation.” With respect to the reforms, he added, “We are not going to veto them and they will be published in the official state journal.”
On 17 February, the Chiapas Congress approved a number of changes and additions to the Criminal Code, which in part stipulate that defamation crimes will be punishable with three to nine years in prison and fines equivalent to100 to 1,000 days worth of salary.
On 24 February, local journalists held a demonstration in the state capital to protest the reforms. The head of the state human rights commission and representatives of civil society groups also participated in the demonstration. The protesters delivered a petition to Salazar, calling on him to refrain from approving the reforms and recommending that offences against an individual’s honour be treated as civil law matters. Salazar immediately rejected their request.
The governor said there are at least 1,700 defamation cases before the courts in Chiapas. Twenty-seven of the cases involve journalists as either defendants or plaintiffs. Salazar stated that if there is disagreement over the Criminal Code reforms, the matter can be taken to the nation’s Supreme Court and that he would comply with a Supreme Court ruling.
PFC joined in the protest against the Criminal Code reforms relating to criminalisation of offences against an individual’s honour. In a letter to Salazar, PFC asked the governor to reconsider his position. PFC stated that it does not support the excesses of some media outlets, which can lead to defamation complaints. However, the organisation believes that when these cases involve officials or other public figures, they should be resolved by recourse to the right of reply. The organisation went on to say that civil law measures should only be applied in extreme situations, where it can be demonstrated that a media outlet intended to inflict damage, knew that it was disseminating false information or was negligent in the investigation of its information.
For PFC’s letter to the governor, see: http://www.portal-pfc.org/comunicados/2004/013.pdf
