1.   The media constantly complain about defamation law, with some justice.

2.   Antiquated criminal defamation laws in most countries make it far too easy for public officials to silence independent journalists.

3.   In the United States, defamation laws tend to favor the publisher over the plaintiff.

4.   India has weak defamation laws that carry no set prison sentences.

5.   It also has frequently used criminal defamation laws and emergency regulations against journalists.

6.   International media rights organisations had asked the previous government to remove the criminal defamation laws that were used to try several newspaper editors in recent years.

7.   Sri Lanka Thursday announced a repeal of criminal defamation laws that had been used to crack down on newspaper editors critical of the leadership.

8.   The government is also planning to repeal criminal defamation laws which have been used in the past against newspaper editors critical of the administration, he said.