Caribbean

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Resolution to the Midyear Meeting

Bridgetown, Barbados

April 4 - 7, 2014


WHEREAS

Charges have been laid, and court proceedings begun, against three journalists of The Nation in Barbados for publishing in the newspaper a photo depicting minors engaged in a sexual act, without revealing identities of the minors, in order to bring to public awareness issues regarding minors engaging in sexual activities in the nation's schools, to bring to public attention that they have a role to play to end these acts, and to encourage government to act to bring an end to these activities

WHEREAS

The Parliament of Jamaica has approved changes to the country's libel and defamation laws which include abolishing criminal libel and enabling application of said laws more efficiently.

WHEREAS

Media and journalism associations declare that those recent changes in Jamaica do not provide greater powers of the press to tackle a significant and growing corruption problem.

THE IAPA RESOLVES

To request to the Barbadian prosecutor's office that the charges against the three journalists of The Nation be dropped, legal proceedings discontinued immediately, and the applicable legislation reviewed and/or clarified to protect the media's publishing and distributing in the public interest.

To encourage the government of Jamaica to consider further revisions to the laws which give media greater strength to ferret out corruption.

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