Critics Are Not Criminals – Comparative Study of Criminal Defamation Laws in the Americas

This report surveys the existence and enforcement of criminal defamation laws and other laws criminalizing or restricting speech across 33 countries in the Americas, including their application to growing methods of news dissemination such as the Internet and mobile communications. The report makes a notable contribution to our understanding of the chilling effect these laws can have on freedom of expression in the region, and it highlights best and worst practices that can guide advocacy efforts for legal reform.