Search: insult and defamation laws in Europe, outcome reversed
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
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CountryBelarus, RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180Serbia, RSF 2026 rank: 104th of 180Spain, RSF 2026 rank: 29th of 180
ContinentEurope
TacticInsult and defamation laws 3Funding and ownership pressure 1Credential control 1Prior restraint 1
OutcomeReversed 3
LevelNational 3
| Date | Incident | Country | Tactic | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 February 2023 | Belarus: journalist Andrzej Poczobut is sentenced to eight years for inciting hatred | Belarus (RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180) | Insult and defamation laws | Alexander Lukashenko | Reversed (28 April 2026) |
| 20 October 1998 | Serbia's Public Information Act lets courts fine independent newspapers into financial danger | Serbia (RSF 2026 rank: 104th of 180) | Insult and defamation laws | Slobodan Milosevic | Reversed (1 October 2000) |
| April 1938 | Franco's Spain requires state permission to be a journalist under a wartime Press Law | Spain (RSF 2026 rank: 29th of 180) | Credential control | Francisco Franco | Reversed (1 April 1977) |