CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2014
| Author | Gulyás, Orsolya |
|---|---|
| Title | PREVENTING HARM OR SILENCING CRITICS? THE DRIVE TO DECRIMINALIZE DEFAMATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION |
| Summary | Criminal defamation laws pose a threat to freedom of expression and opinion both online and offline. Handling defamation cases through criminal courts and the possibility of getting a prison sentence for something that was said or written about someone else is not only uncivilized but it also endangers press freedom in the EU. The mere existence of the laws can have a serious chilling effect on media freedom because journalists and editors might face defamation lawsuits upon reporting on the wrongdoings of public officials or figures. There is a network of various international actors, such as IGOs, NGOs, rights advocates, academics, and also international courts that have been calling attention to the issue of criminal defamation and demanding its repeal. While in some countries in the EU their efforts have been successful, in others, such as Hungary, the situation worsened. The focus should be on harmonizing defamation laws across the EU and push for the repeal of criminal libel through an EU directive now that the Lisbon Treaty has made the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights binding. |
| Supervisor | Haraszti Miklos |
| Department | Public Policy MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2014/gulyas_orsolya.pdf |
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