A bill introduced in the House of Representatives today seeks to strengthen protections for freedom of expression while keeping criminal penalties for serious forms of online abuse. Prime Minister John Briceño presented the Cybercrime Amendment Bill 2026, explaining that the changes would also protect legitimate reporting by journalists and media houses, along with political commentary, satire and criticism of public officials. The Prime Minister said the existing law makes it an offence to spread false information, statements or images through a computer system with the intention of damaging someone’s reputation or exposing them to ridicule, hatred or embarrassment. However, a government review found that the provision is broader than necessary and could interfere with expression protected by the Constitution. PM Briceño said the amendment would narrow the offence to fabricated, altered or impersonated digital content falsely presented as authentic and used for specified serious harmful purposes. The proposed changes expressly protect satire, parody, honest opinion, fair comment, and fair and accurate reporting on matters of public interest. Briceño said investigative journalism, political criticism and public debate should not be criminalized simply because they offend, embarrass or criticize public figures.
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “This bill, Madam Speaker, addresses this. It seeks to confine criminal liability to conduct involving fabricated, altered, or impersonated digital content that is falsely presented as authentic and disseminated for specific, serious, harmful purposes. The bill also expressly protects legitimate forms of expression, including satire, parody, honest opinion, fair comment and fair and accurate reporting, and publication of matters of public interest. This protection is intended to ensure that democratic debate, investigative journalism, political criticism and other forms of public discourse are not criminalized merely because they are offensive, embarrassing, or critical of public figures. The bill also strengthens prosecutorial oversight by requiring the written consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions before proceedings will be instituted for any offense under the act. This safeguard is intended to ensure careful review of prosecutions under the act and to reduce the risk of inappropriate, vexatious, or politically motivated proceedings. Collectively, these reforms are intended to modernize Belize’s cyber crime framework, provide greater legal certainty and ensure that criminal sanctions are reserved for serious technologically facilitated abuse rather than the regulation of ordinary public expression.”
The bill would also require proceedings for any offence under the Cybercrime Act to be brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions or with the DPP’s written consent. The Prime Minister said that safeguard would help prevent inappropriate, vexatious or politically motivated prosecutions. He told the House that the proposed reforms would preserve the ability to address serious online abuse, including impersonation, extortion, threats and targeted harassment, while protecting journalism and public accountability./
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