31. 10. 2012

PRESSURE ON MEDIA OR PROTECTION OF PERSON

Belgrade, October 31, 2012. (Danas) - The decision of the recently formed working group of the Ministry of Justice not to exclude the crime of libel and defamation from the Criminal Code of Serbia brought controversy in the public. The Ministry of Justice, as well as legal experts point out that the crime of libel and defamation is in accordance with international standards, while journalists' associations and former leaders of the Ministry of Justice protest over this decision.

Milan Skulic, professor at the Belgrade Faculty of Law, says that libel and defamation in the Criminal Code do not threaten freedom of speech, while their decriminalization would open the space for rich people to pay fines and continue with slandering. According to him, legislation most of the countries of the European Union treats them as a crime. When it comes to responsibilities of journalists, he says that they should not be responsible if they convey statements of public figures and politicians.  

On the other hand, Filip Slavkovic, program coordinator at Deutsche Welle Academy, says that unlike the local politicians, German politicians rarely decide to sue journalists for libel and slander. - No German politician sued a journalist for an article that breaches honor and reputation of that politician. However, journalists in Germany take care more when it comes to covering and when a journalist uses assumptions or unverified information, it is clearly indicated, Slavkovic says.