(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is most concerned about proposed legislation that would make broadcasting “slanderous and insulting matter” a criminal offence in Greece. Under the legislation, proposed on 18 August 1998 by Justice Minister Evangelos Yannopoulos, existing slander and libel laws would be expanded to include a minimum two-year sentence for radio and television journalists, as […]
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is most concerned about proposed legislation that would
make broadcasting “slanderous and insulting matter” a criminal offence in
Greece.
Under the legislation, proposed on 18 August 1998 by Justice Minister
Evangelos
Yannopoulos, existing slander and libel laws would be expanded to include a
minimum two-year sentence for radio and television journalists, as well as
news editors, who insult a politician or a member of the public through the
broadcast media.
According to IPI, Parliament has yet to approve the proposal and no date for
the vote has been set.
IPI maintains that journalists should be judged by civil libel laws and not
by criminal
statutes. Legislation that makes libel, slander and defamation a criminal
offence is unjustifiable in a democratic society and a violation of Article
19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which
guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression. General laws
against libel, slander and defamation are sufficient protection against
unjust attack. They should be civil – not criminal – in nature and should
provide for demonstrable damages only.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
of a draft bill that would entail a clear attempt to throttle free
expression in Greece
Appeals To
H.E. Konstantinos Simitis
Prime Minister of Greece
Athens
Greece
Fax: +30 1 6716183
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
