16. Welcomes the decision to dismiss the criminal defamation case against Andy Hall, and his subsequent release; calls for the computer crime and criminal defamation cases initiated against him at Southern Bangkok Criminal Court also to be dropped, given that his actions as a human rights defender were aimed at exposing instances of human trafficking and improving the legal situation of migrant workers in Thailand, which confirms his right to carry out research and advocacy without fear of reprisals; expresses its concern, with rega ...[+++]rd to the civil defamation cases, that his trial may not be fully impartial, as there have been reports of ownership links between the suing company and high-ranking Thai politicians; asks the EU Delegation to continue to follow his legal situation closely and to attend his trial;

106. Condemns severely any persecution based on religion or belief; remains committed to the realisation of freedom of religion in all parts of the world as part of enhanced EU efforts in its bilateral and multilateral action; restates its concern regarding full and effective respect for the right to freedom of religion for all religious minorities in a number of third countries; reiterates its call on the Council and Commission to urgently develop a toolkit on the advancement of the right to freedom of religion or belief in the EU's external policy, including mechanisms to identify infringements and actions that the EU should underta ...[+++]ke in these cases, and to involve Parliament, civil society organisations, and academics in its preparation; welcomes the EU's action in various UN forums against intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief and its unwavering and principled stance against the resolutions on combating defamation of religions; maintains that freedom of assembly is a vital aspect of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and stresses that registration of religious groups should not be a prerequisite for practising one's faith; calls on the EU Fundamental Rights Agency to provide Parliament with accurate and reliable data on infringements of freedom of religion or belief in the European Union, and to advise as to how these could be tackled;

On the one hand, he may bring an action before the courts of the State in which that publisher is established, which have jurisdiction to award damages for all of the harm caused by the defamation.

Thus, in the case of defamation by means of a written newspaper article distributed in several Member States, the victim has two options for bringing an action for compensation against the publisher.

Recent law has determined that the commission as an organization cannot bring a libel action or a defamation action.

Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, my information is that certain people in Toronto, who thought they were defamed, took an action against the deputy consul general, who had written a letter, and that the Chinese government did not appear in the action, believing that it had diplomatic immunity.