Colombia - Journalist's imprisonment for criminal libel sets dangerous precedent

Reporters without borders

A regional court yesterday upheld the conviction of Luis Agustín González, editor of the newspaper Cundinamarca Democrática, for criminal libel for publishing an editorial that was highly critical of the former governor and senator, María Leonor Serrano de Camargo. The ruling by the Higher Court in Cundinamarca department means an exorbitant penalty imposed earlier of 18 months' imprisonment and a fine of 9.5 million pesos (18 “minimum salaries”, or approximately $5,450) will now be carried out. (...)

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