Law against Hatred

The Law Against Hatred was published in Gaceta Oficial No. 41,274

The Constitutional Law Against Hatred, for Peaceful Coexistence and Tolerance (Ley constitucional contra el odio, por la convivencia pacífica y la tolerancia), also known simply as the Law Against Hatred, is a law passed unanimously by the Venezuelan Constituent National Assembly[1][2][3][4] and published in Gaceta Oficial 41,274 on 8 November 2017.

The bill was introduced to the Assembly on 10 August 2017 by President Nicolás Maduro and its discussion began on 4 September.[citation needed] The law establishes penalties that can include 20 years in jail, media shutdown, and fines to companies and electronic media.[5]

The law is controversial and has been criticized in Venezuela. Its detractors say that it is designed to oppress political dissent by criminalizing it, establishing restrictions on personal freedom and promoting both censorship and self-censorship. The lack of powers of the Constituent Assembly to legislate has also been pointed out, and the National Assembly of Venezuela declared it as null and void "in rejection of the hate- and intolerance- generating instrument promoted by Nicolás Maduro and the fraudulent Constituent [National Assembly]", stating that the law violates Articles 49, 51, 57, 58, 62, 68 and 202 of the constitution.[6]

  1. ^ "Venezuela's new "anti-hate" law seeks to silence media". Committee to Protect Journalists. November 9, 2017.
  2. ^ Stephanie Wildes (December 6, 2017). "New 'Anti-Hate Law' Threatens Freedoms in Venezuela". Inter Press Service.
  3. ^ Mia Alberti (November 20, 2017). "Venezuela media law:'Threat to freedom of expression'?". Al Jazeera.
  4. ^ "Venezuela assembly passes new law clamping down on media". Associated Press News. November 8, 2017.
  5. ^ León, Ibis (9 November 2017). "10 claves que debe saber sobre la Ley Contra el Odio y por la Tolerancia". Efecto Cocuyo. p. Prensa ANC. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  6. ^ León, Rafael (15 November 2017). "Ley contra el odio viola 7 artículos de la Constitución". El Nacional. Retrieved 20 February 2018.