CoveragePost
May 22, 2025
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Auckland University law academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law under which a prominent journalist has been charged should be repealed. Lagi Keresoma, the first female president of the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) and editor of Talamua Online, was charged under the Crimes Act 2013 on Sunday ... <a title="Legal academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law should go after charge" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/22/legal-academic-says-samoas-criminal-libel-law-should-go-after-charge/" aria-label="Read more about Legal academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law should go after charge">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 6, 2024
People accused under Papua New Guinea’s Cybercrime Code Act may not always find free speech protection offered by the Constitution. In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that this law does not contravene the provisions of Section 46 which provides for freedom of expression. The decision is a serious warning to offending users ... <a title="Landmark PNG Supreme Court ruling toughens cybercrime law" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/08/06/landmark-png-supreme-court-ruling-toughens-cybercrime-law/" aria-label="Read more about Landmark PNG Supreme Court ruling toughens cybercrime law">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 21, 2020
By Trevor Wahune in Port Moresby North Fly MP James Donald yesterday made an appearance in Papua New Guinea’s Waigani Committal Court to face cyber crime charges for allegedly publishing defamatory materials against a lawyer and the management team of OK Tedi River Development Foundation. Magistrate Garry Unjo, reading the MP’s charges, said Donald, from ... <a title="PNG parliamentarian faces cyber crime charges over K250m Ok Tedi claim" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/08/21/png-parliamentarian-faces-cyber-crime-charges-over-k250m-ok-tedi-claim/" aria-label="Read more about PNG parliamentarian faces cyber crime charges over K250m Ok Tedi claim">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 3, 2020
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 ... <a title="Timorese journalists protest over plan to turn defamation into crime" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/08/03/timorese-journalists-protest-over-plan-to-turn-defamation-into-crime/" aria-label="Read more about Timorese journalists protest over plan to turn defamation into crime">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 30, 2020
By Lian Buan in Manila Rappler chief executive Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr have filed a motion for partial reconsideration, appealing to Manila Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa to reconsider her decision that convicted the journalists of cyber libel. Ressa and Santos’ lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) submitted their 132-page motion ... <a title="Rappler chief Ressa appeals over cyber libel conviction, cites errors, ‘malice’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/30/rappler-chief-ressa-appeals-over-cyber-libel-conviction-cites-errors-malice/" aria-label="Read more about Rappler chief Ressa appeals over cyber libel conviction, cites errors, ‘malice’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2020
Pacific Media Watch Timor-Leste’s Minister of Justice plans to present to the Council of Ministers a proposal to include criminal defamation in the country’s penal code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Timor-Leste Press Union (TLPU) have protested against the move that would undermine press freedom and public interest journalism, reports ... <a title="Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/media-rights-groups-protest-against-timors-draft-defamation-law/" aria-label="Read more about Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 9, 2020
By Antonio Sampaio in Dili Former East Timorese President José Ramos-Horta says it is not opportune for the government to be debating the possible criminalisation of defamation, with the risk of jeopardizing citizens’ rights. Instead, he says, the Timor-Leste government should concentrate on issues like the economy. “I don’t think it is a priority issue ... <a title="Ramos-Horta slams criminal libel plan – threat to rights in Timor-Leste" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/09/ramos-horta-slams-criminal-libel-plan-threat-to-rights-in-timor-leste/" aria-label="Read more about Ramos-Horta slams criminal libel plan – threat to rights in Timor-Leste">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 3, 2019
By Tempo Timor in Dili Proposals to make defamation a crime in Timor-Leste have sparked public debate about a controversial law that could see people jailed for their opinions on popular platforms like Facebook. Supporters of criminalising defamation argue that the growing instances of leaders being cursed and abused on Facebook – with more than ... <a title="Timor-Leste free speech, criminal defamation and protecting Maun Bo’ot (‘Big Brother’)" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/07/03/timor-leste-free-speech-criminal-defamation-and-protecting-maun-boot-big-brother/" aria-label="Read more about Timor-Leste free speech, criminal defamation and protecting Maun Bo’ot (‘Big Brother’)">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 24, 2019
Papua New Guinean media … RSF says journalists faced intimidation, direct threats, censorship, prosecution and bribery attempts. Image: EMTV News By RNZ Pacific Democracies across Asia and the Pacific are struggling to resist disinformation and protect press freedoms, according to a new report. Reporters Without Borders released its 2019 index last Thursday showing an increase ... <a title="Asian and Pacific nations struggling over media self-censorship, says RSF" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/04/24/asian-and-pacific-nations-struggling-over-media-self-censorship-says-rsf/" aria-label="Read more about Asian and Pacific nations struggling over media self-censorship, says RSF">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 14, 2019
Award-winning journalist, publisher and editor Maria Ressa (left) being arrested in Rappler’s newsroom yesterday. She was being kept in detention last night. Image: Maria Tan/AFP/RSF Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk The Paris-based global media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned yesterday’s arrest of Maria Ressa, editor of the independent Manila-based news website Rappler, on ... <a title="Philippine website editor Maria Ressa held on ‘cyber libel’ charge" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/02/14/philippine-website-editor-maria-ressa-held-on-cyber-libel-charge/" aria-label="Read more about Philippine website editor Maria Ressa held on ‘cyber libel’ charge">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 8, 2019
“This indictment is evidence that the law has been weaponised – the NBI’s own lawyers recommended the case be thrown out,” says Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. Image: Rappler Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the latest “absurd charges” that the Philippine Justice Department is planning to bring against the news website ... <a title="Philippine website accused in ‘absurd’ seven-year-old media libel case" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/02/08/philippine-website-accused-in-absurd-seven-year-old-media-libel-case/" aria-label="Read more about Philippine website accused in ‘absurd’ seven-year-old media libel case">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 8, 2018
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