What is the Meaning & Definition of libel

There are many ways to disrespect others. One of them is libel, a term that comes from the latin iniuria and etymologically means tort or offense. There are words synonymous in colloquial language: insult, affront, defamation, reproach, blasphemy and other many.
Insulting someone is saying something offensive about another person and, therefore, this circumstance is contemplated by the law, which establishes the offence of libel.

Slander, defamation and insult

There are offences against the honour of people, honour is a legal protected by the criminal law. However, not all offences against honour are the same. In fact, there are three variants possible: the slander, the defamation and the insult.
Libel is a false accusation, i.e., to accuse someone of a crime knowing that this accusation is false. Defamation is based on the intent to harm someone in their dignity or reputation, in such a way that a fact is attributed to someone in order to harm (the peculiarity of defamation is based on the use of any means of dissemination, for example, the press, radio, or social networks).
Libel is similar to defamation, and refers to the action of belittling or dishonoring anyone. In this way, if a woman is told that is a prostitute would violate his honor and such accusation is a crime. The crime of libel exists for the purpose of protecting the reputation of any person. However, there is an exception to this rule: when the alleged injury is made on a public servant and in connection with the exercise of their functions.
This exception is due to the privacy of the public server has a public projection when you perform their professional responsibilities. It should not be forgotten that the offence of slander there is to protect individual dignity, but if we talk about a public employee honor and dignity as the State server goes beyond the individual and have a general interest.
So someone is punishable by law for libel it is necessary that the offended person put a lawsuit to defend his honor against the disrepute of the insult. On the other hand, from the point of view of the judge, it is necessary to establish that an offence intends to morally harm anyone, what in law is known as the Latin expression Animus offensive (which could be translated as the intention of insulting or offending desire).
Libel, defamation or slander are potentially a crime. However, there are those who consider that they should be decriminalized, because they run counter to the freedom of expression. From the legal perspective argue that it is reasonable that the law provides for the offence of libel claim that freedom of expression is a right ' but it is also the protection of the honour and the conflict between both rights must not assume the decriminalization of the crime of libel.