Costa Rica
Libel law for journalists repealedPosted Feb 19 2010
Costa Rica’s Supreme Court eliminated a portion of the 1902 Printing Press Law that forced journalist to serve prison sentence for up to 120 days for print defamation.
The court decided to change the press law on Dec. 18, but it wasn’t revealed publically until Feb. 9.
The court repealed the law after reviewing a case against José Luis Jiménez, a reporter from the San José Diario Extra, who was accused of alleged embezzlement, according to Committee to Protect Journalists. In March 2004, Jiménez was sentenced to 50 days in prison, but the Supreme Court overturned this decision.
The ruling has been well received throughout the media world, especially by journalists within the country. An editorial from La Nación in Costa Rica said the court’s action is “a new milestone for freedom of expression.”