VI
FACTS
29. In this chapter, the Court will establish the facts of the case based on the factual
framework submitted to its consideration by the Inter-American Commission in relation
to the following aspects: (a) Legal framework; (b) Ronald Moya Chacón and Freddy
Parrales Chaves; (c) Publication of the article in La Nación on December 17, 2005; (d)
domestic proceedings instituted as a result of that publication, and (e) subsequent
cassation proceedings before the Supreme Court of Justice.
A.
Legal framework
30. The Court notes that, in the instant case, Messrs. Moya Chacón and Parrales
Chaves were prosecuted for the offense of libel established in article 7 of the Printing
Act in relation to article 145 of the Criminal Code, as well as for the offense of defamation
established in article 146 of the said Criminal Code. 23 They were finally acquitted in the
criminal jurisdiction and convicted in the civil jurisdiction in application of Article 1045 of
the Civil Code. 24
31.
Article 7 of the Printing Act establishes:
Anyone responsible for defamation or libel committed through the press shall be
punished with from one to one hundred and twenty days’ detention. This sanction
shall apply jointly to the authors of the publication and to the editors responsible for
the newspaper, pamphlet or book in which it may have appeared. If the name of the
responsible editors does not appear in the newspaper, pamphlet or book, the
directors of the publishing company shall be considered as such for the effects of
this article, and if there are no such directors, their responsibility shall revert to the
owner of the publishing company. But, if this be leased or held by another person in
any other capacity, the lessee or possessor of the publishing company shall assume
the responsibility that falls to the owner, provided that the Governor of the province
has been advised of this tenure.
If the defamatory or libelous publication has not been made in a newspaper,
pamphlet or book, the authors and the director or owner or lessee or possessor of
the publishing company shall be held jointly responsible pursuant to the rule
established in their regard in the preceding paragraph.
32. Regarding the current status of the said article 7 of the Printing Act, the Court
underlines that the State has indicated that, owing to a judgment delivered by the Third
Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice on December 18, 2009, this provision has been
abrogated. However, in its final written arguments, the State indicated that discussions
on the status of this article had “not been finalized” under the laws of Costa Rica and, at
this time, “conflicting opinions” existed in this regard.
33. Meanwhile, article 145 of the Criminal Code establishes that “[a]nyone who insults
the dignity or decorum of another person, by word or act, either in their presence or by
means of a communication addressed to them shall be penalized with a fine based on
23
Cf. Second Circuit Criminal Court of San José, Goicoechea, Judgment of January 10, 2007 (evidence
file, folios 16 and 23).
Cf. Second Circuit Criminal Court of San José, Goicoechea, Judgment of January 10, 2007 (evidence
file, folio 21).
24
10