Criminal defamation is the act of communicating something negative or damaging about a second party, and implying that it is fact when in reality it is false. This communication may be verbal or written, and applies to any form of media. The second party may be one individual, a group of people, a business, or an organization.
These types of insults may also be known as vilification, slander, or libel. Slander is any criminal defamation communicated verbally. Libel is the term given to any written or pictorial forms of this offense. Trade libel refers specifically to false statements made about business products, often agricultural in nature. These inaccurate statements may pertain to an individual or group’s character, business conduct, ethics, financial standing, and more.
The accusations made must be implied or stated to be fact and proven false to be counted as criminal defamation. In some cases, the intent of the party making the statement must also be shown to be malicious. Many countries have laws against committing this crime that allow the one defamed, also known as the claimant, to seek repercussions against the injuring party or parties.
