Article
Europe: Anti-SLAPPs Coalition calls on EU, Council of Europe & govts to adopt laws protecting journalists and HRDs from malicious lawsuits
"Anti-SLAPP Declaration and Call to Action", 20 October 2022
[...] the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) today calls on governments across Europe to take immediate legislative and practical action to protect journalists and other public watchdogs from the growing threat of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). SLAPPs are abusive lawsuits that operate through the litigation and pre-litigation process to silence critical speech, shut down accountability, and undermine democratic rights... Today we commit to continuing to fight for the three aims of CASE: to expose SLAPPs and those who use them, to build resilience to SLAPPs, and to advocate for law reform to prevent SLAPPs...
Recommendations:
To the European Union
- Make it a priority to reach swift agreement amongst member states to adopt the Directive ... on protecting persons who engage in public participation from [SAPPs] ...
- Make it a priority to push for the implementation of the Commission Recommendation ... on protecting journalists and human rights defenders who engage in public participation from [SAPPs] ...
- Extend the mandate of the European Union’s Expert Group against SLAPP
To the Council of Europe
- Adopt the Recommendation on ... SLAPPs ... by 2024 and promote its implementation at Member States level...
To all governments:
- Review relevant domestic laws... and adopt comprehensive anti-SLAPP legislation that provides for early dismissal, minimises the harm caused to SLAPP victims, and imposes dissuasive sanctions against those who use SLAPPs;
- Adopt a holistic approach in tackling SLAPPs, including awareness-raising and legal training, support mechanisms and free legal aid...