Jamaica

The press is free in Jamaica. However, there is the occasional obstruction of journalists by police at crime scenes, and there is a current case where a Gleaner photographer was arrested while doing his lawful and professional duties at the scene of an alleged police shooting. Also, the legislature has not acted on a report commissioned by the prime minister to reform the antiquated defamation laws. The report was tabled in Parliament one year ago. The size of libel awards is a hindrance to press freedom. Two journalists — Julian Richardson, financial journalist for the daily Jamaica Observer, and Ricardo Makyn, a photographer for the daily The Gleaner — were arrested in one week by police in Kingston. According to news reports, on February 14 Richardson was arrested and threatened with death after he refused to pay a bribe to two officers in exchange for withdrawing charges against him of “using indecent language and obstructing the traffic.” On February 20, Makyn was banned from taking photos of a police officer who shot and wounded a man who had tried to snatch his mobile phone. He was being reported for “insult, assault and disobedience towards a police officer” and taken to the police station.