CARACAS-- A new penal code approved by Venezuela's Congress would stiffen prison sentences for slander and libel. It drew criticism from opponents of President Hugo Chávez, who said the new rules were an attempt to stifle dissent.
Under the old penal code, the maximum sentence for libel was 18 months in prison.
The new code increased the maximum to four years in prison.
Sentences for slander -- statements that impugn "the honor, the reputation, the respect" of a person -- were lengthened from eight days to up to one year. There are no exceptions when the speech is directed at public officials.
The new code also takes aim at a popular form of protest involving banging on pots and pans -- called a cacerolazo and often used by Chávez opponents. The code punishes the earsplitting protests with fines and one to two months in jail.
Under the old penal code, the maximum sentence for libel was 18 months in prison.
The new code increased the maximum to four years in prison.
Sentences for slander -- statements that impugn "the honor, the reputation, the respect" of a person -- were lengthened from eight days to up to one year. There are no exceptions when the speech is directed at public officials.
The new code also takes aim at a popular form of protest involving banging on pots and pans -- called a cacerolazo and often used by Chávez opponents. The code punishes the earsplitting protests with fines and one to two months in jail.
As I said the first time...
Christ on a cracker.
So, in an ironic concurrent incident...
Caracas, Venezuela. Dec 11, 2004 - Venezuela’s Information and Communications Minister Andres Izarra expressed the Venezuelan government’s concerns about recent legal actions and measures taken by the government of the United States against several journalists.
Izarra highlighted the case of Jim Taricani, a U.S. journalist who was recently sentenced for refusing to identify the source of information he used in some of his reports.
articleIzarra highlighted the case of Jim Taricani, a U.S. journalist who was recently sentenced for refusing to identify the source of information he used in some of his reports.
Of course, that falls into the category of throwing insults back and forth - something U.S. and Venezuelan officials have been doing ever sine Chávez came to power.
Izarra’s comments come after U.S. government criticisms of the law of Social Responsibility for Radio and Television, recently approved by the Venezuelan Legislature. Last Thursday, the U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said that the United States is "deeply troubled" by "the threats to freedom of expression" posed by the Venezuelan law. The new law, widely discussed for more than two years, is aimed at limiting violent content on TV, according to the Venezuelan government, but it has been criticized by the opposition and by groups such as the Inter American Press Association, which groups media executives throughout the continent.
I had tentatively dismissed the opposition's complaints about the "Social Responsibility" law, but in light of the law forbidding anyone to "insult" a public official....
Christ on a cracker.
...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment