Center director Anthony Fargo is the author of a report that concludes that Suriname’s defamation laws, especially “the crime of insult,” are vulnerable to abuse and should be revised.
Fargo produced the analysis at the request of the International Press Institute, a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists dedicated to free speech and the improvement of the practice of journalism around the world.
Fargo previously conducted research for IPI on the status of defamation laws in Caribbean countries. The report on Suriname is part of IPI’s Campaign to Repeal Criminal Defamation in the Caribbean.
Suriname’s defamation laws include conviction and up to seven years in prison for expressing contempt of the government and up to six months in prison for insulting the Surinamese flag. The crime of insult, particularly that of a head of state, may lead to five years in prison and the loss of civil rights.
IPI said in a press release that it sent copies of the report along with other materials urging reform to Surinamese legislators.
More:

• See the IPI press release about this new report.
• Read the IPI report on “Advocacy Mission to the Caribbean: Focus on Criminal Defamation.”