"The Peruvian Congress rejected this Thursday [June 15] to approve, in a second vote, a bill proposing to raise the penalties for the crime of defamation. The bill has been described by national and international journalistic organizations as a 'gag law' that sought to intimidate the press and that had received the green light in a first debate.
The law, which had been approved in a first vote on May 4, received this time 46 votes in favor, 56 against and 5 abstentions in the legislature's plenary.
The bill proposed, in case of slander, a 90 to 120 days' fine, as well as imposing civil reparations in favor of the plaintiff. While for the crime of defamation, [it would've imposed] a sentence of up to 2 years, a 30 to 120 days' fine and civil reparations.
[The bill] added that if the crime was consummated through a means of communication, the sanction could be raised up to a five year sentence, and between 120 and 365 days' fine."
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