"Mi tupawhin; thu leh hla - țawngka in emaw, chhiar turin emaw, sign engemaw hmangin emaw, hmuh theih chhinchhiahna (visible representations) hmangin emaw, tu emaw tihnat tumna a siam emaw, a chhuah emaw (makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm), chutiang chu a tum ngei ani tih hriatna emaw, rin theihna tur a awm anih chuan (knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person) (a hnuaia exceptional cases kan sawi tur ang te hi anih loh chuan) tihhmingchhiat a tum ngei a ni."
Explanation 1 - Mithi tawh chungah; a damlaia a hmingțhatna tihminghliau thei anih emaw, a chhungte leh a lainate rilru (feelings) ti na thei thil anih chuan 'defamation' a ni.
Explanation 2 - Pawl ho emaw, association leh company emaw, țhian ho (company or an association or collection of persons) lakah.
Explanation 3 - Țawngkam mei nei leh elsenna țawngkam hmanga inpuhna (An imputation in the form of an alternative or expressed ironically).
Explanation 4 - Direct/indirect taka kha mi an puh chhiat kha; an puhchhiatna avanga mite hriat tur/hmuh dana a rilru leh a taksaah tlakhniamna emaw, a chipuite zinga hmuhsitna leh a nundan, a hmingțhatna a chhiat emaw, thinhrik leh enhrana a awm phah emaw, a chunga hmuhsitna lam hawi engemaw a thlen phah loh chuan chu chu 'defamation' a chhiar theih a nilo.
(No imputation is said to harm a person’s reputation, unless that imputation directly or indirectly, in the estimation of others, lowers the moral or intellectual character of that person, or lowers the character of that person in respect of his caste or of his calling, or lowers the creditof that person, or causes it to be believed that the body of that person is in a loathsome state, or in a state generally considered as disgraceful.)
Exceptional case kan sawi tur ang te anih loh chuan he'ng hi 'defamation' a ni.
Illustrations :
I. Lala chuan, "Thanga hi pa fel tak a ni; Liana sana pawh a la ru ngai lo" a ti a. Thanga hian Liana sana a ru/a ru tawh anga ngaih(kawih) theih a nih avangin.
II. Lala chu Liana sana ru tu an zawt a. Lala chuan Thanga a kawk a, Thanga chu rukru anga ngaih theih anih avangin a hnuaia exceptional case kan sawi tur ang hi anih loh chuan 'defamation' a ni.
III. Lala chuan Liana sana keng chunga Thanga tlanchhe lai lem a ziak a. A hnuaia exceptional case kan sawi tur ang hi anih loh chuan Thanga chu rukru anga ngaih tir thei thil anih avangin 'defamation' a ni.
Exceptions :
I. Thudik, mipui vantlang tana țhatna tur thil anih in. (Imputation of truth which public good requires to be made or published) : Tu emaw chungah; thudik anih chuan, mipui vantlang tana țhatna tur thil duh vang anih in. Mipui vantlang tana țhatna tur thil anih lem loh a, thudik anih bawk si chuan thudik zawhna a ni a, thubuaia lak theih a nilo.
II. Sawrkar hnathawk leh mipuite rawngbawltu lakah (Public conduct of public servants) : An hnathawhna leh anmahni chunga public servant te ngaihdan/thurawn pek emaw, mipui rawng an bawlnaa an chetdan felfailo leh țhalo lai te sawi chhuah anih in; a sawitu nungchangin a zir phawt chuan.
III. Miin rilru thianghlim tak pu a mipui vantlang hriat tura zawhna a zawh (touching any public question) in emaw, a nungchangin a zir phawt chuan.
IV. Cout rorelna thu chhuak emaw, thu kal lai mek tlangpui dik taka (substantially true report) lo puanzar emaw, lo thehdarh anih in, 'defamation' charge theih a nilo.
(Ka translate zo hmanlo; english in dah chhunzawm mai ang aw...)
V. Merits of case decided in Court or conduct of witnesses and
others concerned.—It is not defamation to express in good faith any opinion
whatever respecting the merits of any case, civil or criminal, which has been
decided by a Court of Justice, or respecting the conduct of any person as a party,
witness or agent, in any such case, or respecting the character of such person, as
far as his character appears in that conduct, and no further.
VI. Merits of public performance.—It is not defamation to express
in good faith any opinion respecting the merits of any performance which its author
has submitted to the judgment of the public, or respecting the character of the
author so far as his character appears in such performance, and no further.
VII. - Censure passed in good faith by person having lawful
authority over another —It is not defamation in a person having over another any
authority, either conferred by law or arising out of a lawful contract made with that
other, to pass in good faith any censure on the conduct of that other in matters to
which such lawful authority relates.
VIII. - Accusation preferred in good faith to authorized
person.—It is not defamation to prefer in good faith an accusation against any
person to any of those who have lawful authority over that person with respect to
the subject-matter of accusation.
IX. - Imputation made in good faith by person for protection of
his or other’s interests.
