As a result of a constitutional challenge filed by the journalist Randall Rivera against Costa Rica’s Information Crimes Law, the Supreme Court has temporarily suspended parts of the controversial legislation, in particular Article 288 providing for prison sentences of between four and eight years for anyone publishing “secret political information”.
Reporters Without Borders remains vigilant, but welcomes the freezing of this “gag law”. “The Supreme Court has guaranteed that these provisions, which are detrimental to freedom of information, will not be applied to any citizen while the law’s constitutionality is examined,” the press freedom organization said. “Congress is already discussion major changes to the bill aimed at significantly easing its provisions, which we hope will be approved as soon as possible.”
