(1) No person shall defame
another person.
(2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), a person who
commits any of the following acts shall be deemed to commit
defamation:
(a) By words in writing, by conduct or by signs or by
visible representation or by publicity or by other means,
damaging the character of another person by making
imputation that, directly or indirectly, in the estimation
of others, lowers the personal or moral character,
conduct or reputation of that other person, or making
imputation that causes it to be believed that the body of
that other person is in a state generally considered as
disgraceful or disseminating or publishing such
imputation, with the intention of harming, or knowing,
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or having a reasonable reason to believe that, such
imputation will harm, the reputation of that other
person, or knowingly selling or distribution any thing
which is used as a means of libeling any one,
(b) Making any imputation against a deceased person if the
imputation would harm the reputation of that person if
living, and is intended to be hurtful to the feelings of his
or her family or other near relatives,
(c) Making or expressing an imputation in the form of an
alternative or ironically.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in subsection
(2), none of the following acts shall be considered to be libel:
(a) Publishing or broadcasting any thing which is true
concerning any person, along with the evidence and
basis, for public good,
(b) Publishing in good faith and decently any thing
respecting the conduct of any public servant in the
discharge of his or her public functions or respecting his
or her character only so far as his or her character
appears in that conduct,
(c) Expressing in good faith any opinion respecting the
conduct of public office or position of any person and
respecting his or her character only so far as his or her
character appears in that conduct,
(d) Expressing in good faith and decently any opinion
respecting the merits of any performance which its
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author has submitted to the public for opinion or
respecting the character of the author only so far as his
or her character appears in such performance,
(e) Passing in good faith any censure on the conduct of a
person who has over another person any authority,
either conferred by law or arising out of a contract made
with that other person in matters to which such authority
relates.
(f) Investigating into any offence in accordance with law or
preferring accusation against him or her on that basis in
accordance with law,
(g) Cautioning a person against other person, for his or her
benefit or for the benefit of a person having his or her
interest or for the benefit of the public.