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Jul 12, 2011
New Anti-Slander Law Proposed
A new law has been proposed that would make it illegal to slander an entire public. MK Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz (National Union) has proposed a law that anybody who would slander an entire public would be subject to the possibility of a lawsuit.
Currently, the "lashon ha'ra" laws of Israel, that define and make illegal slanderous statements, apply to such statements against corporations, but not against the State or any sector within, such as the Army, the government, the haredim, the settlers, the leftists, etc. This new law would make anyone who slanders any "public" liable under the same law.
Currently, the "lashon ha'ra" laws of Israel, that define and make illegal slanderous statements, apply to such statements against corporations, but not against the State or any sector within, such as the Army, the government, the haredim, the settlers, the leftists, etc. This new law would make anyone who slanders any "public" liable under the same law.
The law is expected to be challenged. Currently it has passed the ministers committee, but still has a long process to go as it needs to be reviewed, amended, and passed by the Knesset in three separate readings. the law will likely be challenged under free speech concerns. (source: Ladaat)
I wonder how they will define a public group. Any 2 people can suddenly become a tzibbur, if they find some name to call themselves, and if they get slandered they will end up suing in court under this law.
Overall it sounds like a good law to have on record. Somehow I see it more being circumvented than applied.
Overall it sounds like a good law to have on record. Somehow I see it more being circumvented than applied.
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Sounds like a really bad idea to me. How would you define a "public" and who would do the suing? And who will judge if the allegation is true about the "public" involved? And if so what proportion of it? And who defines membership of it.
ReplyDeleteIf it is the state that prosecutes then it will be a weapon to be used unequally depending who is slandering who, and if it is a private individual who sues then what sanction or punishment is he going to sue for?
Seems to me that neither the Israeli left nor right have the faintest understanding if free speech.
ReplyDeletechutznik - I agree. maybe we should send the leftists and rightists all to live in the US for 5 years to get an appreciation of what normal free speech is
ReplyDeleteThese things usually end badly, those with lawyers or protexia getting away with it, while the little guy gets hammered.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a general problem in Israel. The vast majority stem from Eastern Europe or Arab countries. They are simply neve been exposed to normal western mores.
ReplyDeleteHow can you run a democratic and free society if it is illegal to criticize the way sectors of the government are run?
ReplyDeletethere is a difference between criticism and writing "the haredim are parasites", "the settlers are the scurge of the country" or whatever else people call groups they dont like.
ReplyDeleteOy. It will now be illegal to call the leftists hypocrites.
ReplyDeleteOy. It will now be illegal to call the leftists hypocrites.
ReplyDelete"there is a difference between criticism and writing "the haredim are parasites", "the settlers are the scurge of the country" or whatever else people call groups they dont like."
ReplyDeleteTrue.
But (in the eyes of many secular Israelis) the haredim *are* parasites.