Journalists To Jail For Slander, Constitutional Court Upholds Antiquated Law
A 104 year old law, article 7 of the Ley de imprenta, could see journalists behind bars for up to 100 days for slander and insult the Constitutional Court or Sala IV confirmed yesterday.

The decision was by a majority of the magistrates who upheld the law following an appeal that could land a journalist in jail in addition to a fine. "The penalty for slander committed by the press will be punished with the arrest of up to 100 days. This punishment will be equally shared by the author of the slander or the insult as well as the editors of the publication, be it a newspaper, a book or flyer", the court ruling stated.

Defenders of the freedom of the press, the Constitutional Court decision demonstrates the urgent need for the legislators to make reforms. "The censure is a destruction of Costa Rican democracy" said Raúl Silesky, secretary of the Instituto de Prensa y Libertad de Expresión.

The decision came from an appeal made in February 2004 by Carlos Serrano, legal representative for the Spanish langauge daily newspaper Diario Extra, when three reporters were charged and convicted for slander.