Timorese journalists protest over plan to turn defamation into crime

Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

Timor-Leste’s Journalist Association (AJTL) and journalism students marched through the streets of the capital Dili today calling on the government to scrap plans to change the law to make defamation a criminal offence.

Under the proposed law journalists could face jail sentences.

Opponents of the proposed law say it is an attack on democracy in a country with the highest world press freedom ranking in the region.

Words by Bob Howarth, image by AJTL.

READ MORE: Timor-Leste: Can the criminal defamation law in Timor-Leste be stopped?

• Ramos-Horta slams criminal libel plan

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz