Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2022)

Suspension of Newspapers Containing Seditious Matter

6.   Suspension of newspapers containing seditious matter

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    (1)   Whenever on the information of the Attorney General acting under the authority in writing of the Governor General it is shown to the satisfaction of the Court that a newspaper published in Saint Lucia habitually contains matter having a seditious intention or habitually contains matter, whether amounting to a seditious libel or not, which either taken by itself or when read in conjunction with other matter contained in the same or any previous or subsequent issue of the newspaper, appears to have the object of inciting any person or class of persons to use unlawful violence or of promoting feelings of hostility between different classes of the community, the Court shall, and, whenever any person is convicted of publishing a seditious libel in any newspaper, the Court may, if it thinks fit, either in lieu of or in addition to any other punishment, make an order prohibiting for a period not exceeding one year from the date of the order the future publication of that newspaper, and prohibiting for a period not exceeding one year the publisher, proprietor, and editor of that newspaper, from publishing, editing, or writing for any newspaper, or from assisting, whether with money or money's worth, material, or personal service, or otherwise, in the publication, editing, or production of any newspaper, and also ordering every printing press used in the production of the newspaper to be seized by the police and detained by them for a period not exceeding one year.

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    (2)   A person who contravenes an order made under this section commits an offence.

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    (3)   This Act does not affect the power of the Court to punish any person contravening an order made under this section for contempt of Court, but so that a person shall not be punished twice for the same offence.

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    (4)   Any person aggrieved by an order made under this section may appeal from the same to the Court of Appeal in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be provided by the rules of court.