Section 175Part 5 — Offences Injurious to the Public in General
Cases in which publication of defamatory matter is absolutely privileged
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175. (1) The publication of defamatory matter is absolutely privileged, and no person shall under any circumstances be liable to punishment under this Act in respect thereof in any of the following cases, namely —
if the matter is published by the Governor in the Governor’s official capacity, or by the Cabinet or the Cayman Islands Parliament in any official document or proceeding;
if the matter is published by order of the Cabinet;
if the matter is published in the Cabinet or in the Cayman Islands Parliament by the Governor or by any member of such Cabinet or Parliament;
if the matter is published in the course of any judicial proceedings by a person taking part therein as a judge, magistrate, commissioner, juror, pleader, assessor, witness or party thereto;
if the matter published is in fact a fair report of anything said, done or published in the Cabinet or the Cayman Islands Parliament; or
if the person publishing the matter is legally bound to publish it.
Where a publication is absolutely privileged it is immaterial for the purposes of this section whether or not the matter be true or false, and whether or not it be known or believed to be false and whether or not it is published in good faith: Provided that nothing in this section shall exempt a person from any liability to punishment under any other Part of this Act or any other law in force in the Islands. Section 176 Penal Code (2026 Revision) Page 76 Revised as at 31st December, 2025 c