Although the laws have long become obsolete in English legal practice, their removal will send a strong message to repressive governments in the Commonwealth that use these laws to clamp down on opposition and dissent, stated Index on Censorship.

Despite these developments, concern for freedom of expression closer to home persists; blasphemous libel remains an offence in Northern Ireland, with the government appearing keen to defer any further judgement on the matter to the Northern Ireland assembly.

The House of Lords is set to debate these matters once again on 28 October, with a 3rd reading on 4 November.

Unjust and unjustifiable laws
Led by Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw MP and Lord Bach, the newly released amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill will repeal the criminal offences of sedition and seditious libel, defamatory libel, and obscene libel in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

ARTICLE 19, English Pen and Index on Censorship are campaigning for the decriminalisation of defamation and repeal of blasphemy offences in the UK and around the world and strongly welcome the amendments.

Evan Harris MP, an ARTICLE 19 Board Member, who has led the campaign for decriminalisation within the UK legislature, says: “I welcome this repeal which I hope will show the way forward for many other jurisdictions which not only have these unjust and unjustifiable laws, but which actually use them to censor and persecute writers and journalists.”

Concerns remain for Northern Ireland
Criminal defamation has not been used in the UK for a number of years, but its “chilling effect” remains. Moreover, states around the world justify their persistent use of criminal defamation according to the example set by the UK.

In many countries, criminal defamation laws are abused by the powerful to limit criticism and to stifle public debate. The threat of harsh criminal sanctions, especially imprisonment, exerts a profound chilling effect on freedom of expression.

However the three organisations remain deeply concerned that instead of repealing all criminal offences of libel, the offence of blasphemous libel in Northern Ireland remains.

The historical offence of blasphemous libel is entirely incompatible with democratic ideals. In the past it has been abused to protect religions, religious ideas and religious leaders from legitimate criticism.