Libel case could jeopardize online freedom of expression

Reporters Without Borders sent a letter to the Canadian justice minister discussing an "important question of law for online media:" Can a journalist be sued for libel wherever an Internet report is accessible? The answer to this query is apparently "yes," citing Cheickh Bangoura v. Washington Post. Bangoura, a former U.N. official, won his lawusuit against the U.S.-based newspaper early last year over a nearly decade old article, which recounted "allegations by U.N. colleagues that he was guilty of serious improprieties," that could still be read online by Internet users in Canada, his country of residence since 2000. The Post filed an appeal March 8. Reporters Without Borders argued that journalists would be discouraged from publishing their articles online if the initial verdict persists, even after the appeal process because "any individual who posts something online could be sued over it in any country in the world." It added that a country should only have jurisdiction over online content if the material is hosted on its territory, or if its Internet users are explicitly targeted by the material.