During 2007 and early 2008 several journalists in Thailand expressed alarm at the rapid expansion in the country of Tesco-Lotus, a supermarket chain that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British firm Tesco. They said this expansion was driving small “mom and pop” stores out of business. In response, Tesco-Lotus brought a criminal defamation claim against one of the journalists, demanding US$25 million in damages, and a civil defamation claim against a second, for US$2.5 million. A third journalist who commented in respect of these cases that Tesco “did not love Thailand” was also sued, for US$2.5 million. The MLDI has pledged financial support to the three journalists and has been working with their lawyers on their defence. Tesco-Lotus lost the first case and settled the claim against the third, but it continues to pursue the second vigorously.
Recent: Emergency Defence
Chile Jails Judge and General Who Spied on Journalist Mauricio Weibel
The below is a translation of Spanish Press Release written by Mauricio Weibel Barahona. In what press freedom organisations are calling an unprecedented ruling, a court has convicted a judge
Decisión fue adoptada por la justicia chilena
Leer en inglés aquí Por primera vez en la historia del mundo, un tribunal condena a un juez y un general por espiar a un periodista. La sentencia inapelable fue dictada luego de seis años
Rwandan Journalist Aimable Karasira Uzaramba Dies on Day of Scheduled Release from Prison
Media Defence is deeply concerned by the death of Rwandan YouTuber and former university lecturer Aimable Karasira Uzaramba, who died under suspicious circumstances on 7 May 2026 — the day of his scheduled release following a five-year sentence. The Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) stated that Karasira died at