{"id":64798,"date":"2024-11-14T15:47:42","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T14:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=64798"},"modified":"2025-06-13T14:26:01","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T12:26:01","slug":"barbados-debates-criminal-law-carrying-7-year-prison-sentence-for-online-content-causing-annoyance-or-emotional-distress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime","title":{"rendered":"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"64798\" class=\"elementor elementor-64798\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-294e7fba elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"294e7fba\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5cd96205\" data-id=\"5cd96205\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1eea1654 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1eea1654\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">&#8220;The government aims to intimidate us into forced silence,\u201d concerned citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.<br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">Cy<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">bercrime <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">B<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">ill <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">before Barbados Senate <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">would i<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">mpose <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun CommentStart SCXW123840034 BCX0\">$<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">70<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">,000 <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">BBD <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">(<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">a<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">pproximately <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">$3<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">5,000<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\"> US<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\"> or \u00a327,000<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">) <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">in <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">fines and 7 years in prison for citizens that \u201cpublish, broadcast, or transmit data that is\u202foffensive\u201d <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">for the purpose of <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">causing \u201cannoyance, inconvenience<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">,\u201d <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">\u201cembarrassment, anxiety<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">\u201d <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">or <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">\u201c<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW123840034 BCX0\">substantial emotional distress.&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52c4f5e elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"52c4f5e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-64800\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-828da42 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"828da42\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; word-spacing: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 20.5042px; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important;\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">ADF International legal counsel Julio Pohl alongside Barbados citizens and presenters at the <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">Inter-American Commission on Human Rights hearing<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">including<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"> Donald Leacock, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun CommentStart SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2,); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;\">Shaquani<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"> Hunte<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">Timon Howard<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">, and <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\">Ferdinand Nicholls<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW228882120 BCX0\" style=\"-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; word-spacing: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.5042px; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif;\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2431fc49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2431fc49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">WASHINGTON, DC<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (14 November 2024): A cybercrime <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barbadosparliament.com\/uploads\/bill_resolution\/48c581fc50f5357214a37caab9189066.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">bill<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> currently being debated in the Barbados Senate threatens to significantly undermine freedom of speech in the country, so testified concerned citizens during a hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, D.C. on Monday, 11 November.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The proposed law would make it a crime to \u201cpublish, broadcast, or transmit data that is\u202foffensive\u201d<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">or<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">disseminate images or words that are \u201clikely to cause or subject a person to ridicule, contempt, or embarrassment.\u201d The bill lists \u201ccausing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, embarrassment, insult, injury, humiliation, intimidation, hatred, anxiety or causes substantial emotional distress to that person\u201d as criteria to be found guilty of an offence.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Citizens convicted of these crimes could be subject to $70,000 BBD (approximately $35,000 US or \u00a327,000) in fines and a 7-year prison sentence.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Its adoption by the House of Assembly generated national criticism, prompting the bill to be sent to a Joint Select Committee for further review. Rather than improve the bill, the Committee recommended the penalty be increased up to <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">10 years and $100,000 BBD <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(approximately $50,000 USD).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The bill introduces<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> the ambiguous crimes of \u201cmalicious communications\u201d and \u201ccyberbullying,\u201d weaponizing the state security apparatus to criminalize peaceful expression in the name of \u201ccybersecurity\u201d.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At the hearing on the problematic elements in the legislation, Donald Leacock, a citizen of Barbados and social media influencer, stated: <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cFreedom of expression is blatantly being stripped from us in this draconian cybercrime bill that the government of Barbados is forcing onto the citizens. This is evidenced by the fact that section 20 of the bill seeks to criminalise internet use that is considered to have caused anxiety or emotional distress with potential fines of up to $50,000, prison terms of up to 10 years, or both. Should our citizens be thrown in jail for a decade simply for posting something online that the political elite can claim makes them &#8216;anxious&#8217; or &#8217;emotionally distressed&#8217;?&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Leacock continued, stating: <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">&#8220;The law&#8217;s deliberately vague language leaves it open interpretation, and therefore, abuse&#8230; the government aims to intimidate us into forced silence. The objections to this bill are evident and widespread.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/our-team\/julio-pohl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Julio Pohl<\/a>, legal counsel for ADF International, stated: <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cAny law that seeks to criminalize online content that is subjectively deemed annoying, embarrassing, or anxiety-inducing is absurd in a free society. Core to the free interchange of ideas is the ability to voice views in the digital marketplace that may offend someone. The sweeping criminalization of online expression will engender large-scale free speech violations for Barbados.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWhile the Barbados government should protect its citizens from<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"none\"> real issues online such as hacking and incitement to violence<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, it should not be wielding the state\u2019s authority to police security online to restrict free speech in order to spare people from \u2018annoyance\u2019.\u00a0Article 19 and 20 of the Cybercrime Bill violate the basic human right to freedom of speech, enshrined in international law and the Constitution of Barbados,\u201d <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">added Pohl.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ADF International is conducting international advocacy, including at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to oppose the adoption of the censorial bill.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The bill has passed through the House of Assembly and is under consideration in the Senate. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It defines criminal conduct in vague, broad, and indeterminate terms, making it a crime to \u201cpublish, broadcast, or transmit data\u201d that is subjectively deemed offensive. Such an ambiguous definition of criminal conduct violates international human rights protections for free speech, including the American Convention on Human Rights.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24aa4a89 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"24aa4a89\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de66b99 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"de66b99\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Images for free use in print or online in relation to this story only.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44faa44c elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"44faa44c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;1:1&quot;,&quot;lazyload&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;grid&quot;,&quot;columns&quot;:4,&quot;columns_tablet&quot;:2,&quot;columns_mobile&quot;:1,&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;overlay_background&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"44faa44c\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"IMG 6303\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NjQ4MDAsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hZGZpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsLm9yZ1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNFwvMTFcL0lNR182MzAzLXNjYWxlZC5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiI0NGZhYTQ0YyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-1024x683.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"683\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Julio-Pohl_Smiling_400x400.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"44faa44c\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTgwMSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL2FkZmludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDIxXC8wOVwvSnVsaW8tUG9obF9TbWlsaW5nXzQwMHg0MDAuanBnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiNDRmYWE0NGMifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Julio-Pohl_Smiling_400x400.jpg\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"400\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-25c2290 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"25c2290\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9af6e8d\" data-id=\"9af6e8d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The government aims to intimidate us into forced silence,\u201d concerned citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Cybercrime Bill before Barbados Senate would impose $70,000 BBD (approximately $35,000 US or \u00a327,000) in fines and 7 years in prison for citizens that \u201cpublish, broadcast, or transmit data that is\u202foffensive\u201d for the purpose of causing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":64800,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[1234,1236,1067,1235],"class_list":["post-64798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-barbados","tag-inter-american-commission-on-human-rights","tag-julio-pohl","tag-organization-of-american-states"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Barbados Debates Cybercrime Bill - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Concerned Barbadian citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights over new cybercrime bill.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&quot;The government aims to intimidate us into forced silence,\u201d concerned citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ADF International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-11-14T14:47:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-13T12:26:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Philipp Bues\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"&quot;The government aims to intimidate us into forced silence,\u201d concerned citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@adfintl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@adfintl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Philipp Bues\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Philipp Bues\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/person\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141\"},\"headline\":\"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-11-14T14:47:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-13T12:26:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\"},\"wordCount\":684,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Barbados\",\"Inter-American Commission on Human Rights\",\"Julio Pohl\",\"Organization of American States\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\",\"name\":\"Barbados Debates Cybercrime Bill - ADF International\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-11-14T14:47:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-13T12:26:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Concerned Barbadian citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights over new cybercrime bill.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/\",\"name\":\"ADF International\",\"description\":\"Protecting Fundamental Freedoms. Promoting Inherent Dignity.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Alliance Defending Freedom International\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png\",\"width\":175,\"height\":106,\"caption\":\"Alliance Defending Freedom International\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/adfintl\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/adfinternational\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/adfinternational\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/person\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141\",\"name\":\"Philipp Bues\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Philipp Bues\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/author\/pbuesadfinternational-org\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Barbados Debates Cybercrime Bill - ADF International","description":"Concerned Barbadian citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights over new cybercrime bill.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/barbados-cybercrime","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d","og_description":"\"The government aims to intimidate us into forced silence,\u201d concerned citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights","og_url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime","og_site_name":"ADF International","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational","article_published_time":"2024-11-14T14:47:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-06-13T12:26:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1707,"url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Philipp Bues","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d","twitter_description":"\"The government aims to intimidate us into forced silence,\u201d concerned citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights","twitter_image":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg","twitter_creator":"@adfintl","twitter_site":"@adfintl","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Philipp Bues","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime"},"author":{"name":"Philipp Bues","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/person\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141"},"headline":"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d","datePublished":"2024-11-14T14:47:42+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-13T12:26:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime"},"wordCount":684,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg","keywords":["Barbados","Inter-American Commission on Human Rights","Julio Pohl","Organization of American States"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime","name":"Barbados Debates Cybercrime Bill - ADF International","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2024-11-14T14:47:42+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-13T12:26:01+00:00","description":"Concerned Barbadian citizens appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights over new cybercrime bill.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_6303-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1707},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/barbados-cybercrime#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Barbados debates criminal law carrying 7-year prison sentence for online content causing \u201cannoyance\u201d or \u201cemotional distress\u201d"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#website","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/","name":"ADF International","description":"Protecting Fundamental Freedoms. Promoting Inherent Dignity.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization","name":"Alliance Defending Freedom International","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png","width":175,"height":106,"caption":"Alliance Defending Freedom International"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational","https:\/\/x.com\/adfintl","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/adfinternational","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/adfinternational\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/person\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141","name":"Philipp Bues","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg","caption":"Philipp Bues"},"url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/author\/pbuesadfinternational-org"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64798"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64798\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}