CountryType of Law 
 
 
Study: criminal defamation unduly limits media freedom OSCE media freedom representative releases IPI-authored report on laws across region

Study: criminal defamation unduly limits media freedom OSCE media freedom representative releases IPI-authored report on laws across region

IPI special investigation: The application of criminal defamation laws in Europe Germany revealed as leading user of criminal defamation laws among 18 countries surveyed

IPI special investigation: The application of criminal defamation laws in Europe Germany revealed as leading user of criminal defamation laws among 18 countries surveyed

VIENNA, Sept 3, 2015 – Germany towers over its European Union neighbours when it comes to the number of instances in which criminal defamation laws are applied, the surprising results of an International Press Institute (IPI) special investigation released today show.

Despite libel prosecution, Bulgarian journalist remains committed to her mission Coverage of alleged abuse in local orphanage led to initial conviction in local court

Despite libel prosecution, Bulgarian journalist remains committed to her mission Coverage of alleged abuse in local orphanage led to initial conviction in local court

In June 2012, Asya Pencheva, a Bulgarian journalist working for the newspaper Utro, was charged with criminally defaming a local orphanage employee, Tsenka Blagoeva. The charges were related to a published story containing an interview with an orphanage employee who claimed that orphans had been abused. During the course of the interview Blagoeva’s name was mentioned.

EU defamation laws fall dramatically short of international standards, IPI report indicates In vast majority of member states, defamation remains criminal offence punishable by imprisonment

EU defamation laws fall dramatically short of international standards, IPI report indicates In vast majority of member states, defamation remains criminal offence punishable by imprisonment

VIENNA, July 17, 2014 – An International Press Institute (IPI) report on defamation law in the European Union (EU) indicates that EU member states fall dramatically short of fulfilling relevant international standards on freedom of expression, with the vast majority maintaining criminal defamation provisions that threaten the media’s ability to report on matters in the public interest.