诽谤罪“但书”条款的理解与界定

Understanding and Defining the “Proviso” Clauses of Libel

法律上虽然规定了诽谤罪自诉转公诉的标准,但并没有将这一标准细化。实践中,司法机关对诽谤罪公诉标准的认定模糊,扩大了公诉型诽谤案件的范围,严重侵犯了公民的言论自由权。本文通过对诽谤罪"但书"条款进行分析和界定,旨在厘清诽谤罪提起公诉的标准。诽谤地方领导并不足以达到提起公诉的标准,作为政府工作人员,面对公民和媒体的评论要有更宽广的容忍度,对公民合理发表评论的行为要予以鼓励和保护。此外,准确理解和界定诽谤罪的"但书"条款相较与将其废除,也有利于合理平衡公民的名誉权和言论自由。

Though the standards of turning private prosecution to public prosecution for libel have been stipulated in the law,there are no further explanations in detail.In practice,it is ambiguous to identify the public prosecution standards of libel for judicial organs,which expands the scope of public prosecution cases and seriously infringes upon citizen’s right of free speech.Through analyzing and defining the ＂proviso＂ clauses,this article aims at clarifying the standards of initiating a public prosecution to libel.Libeling local leaders is insufficient to reach the standards of initiating a public prosecution.Public officials should have more tolerance to the criticisms of citizens and media,encourage and protect citizens’ reasonable comment behaviors.In addition,compared with the abolishment of the ＂proviso＂ clauses,accurately understanding and defining them is more conducive to balance citizen’s right of reputation and freedom of speech rationally.