Stop the intimidation: Europe strengthens measures against SLAPPs
At the beginning of April, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the Recommendation to combat strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).
According to the Recommendation, SLAPPs will be treated as legal proceedings that are used as a threat, initiated, or commenced to harass or intimidate a target and intended to prevent, stifle, restrict, or punish free expression on subjects of public concern and enjoyment of rights related to public participation.
SLAPP lawsuits, when directed at journalists, drain them financially and emotionally, provoking self-censorship and public distrust of their journalistic work.
Dragan Sekulovski, the Executive Director of AJM, was one of the seven independent experts from the Council of Europe who participated in the Committee of Experts for Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation. The Committee worked on these recommendations from 2021 to 2023, and the Committee of Ministers adopted them on April 5, 2024.
With the recommendation, the Committee of Ministers calls on the member states to develop comprehensive and effective strategies against SLAPP, i.e.:
To implement, urgently and through all branches of state authorities under their jurisdiction, the guidelines given in addition to this recommendation, fully considering the principles included therein, especially in the direction of structural and procedural protection, legal remedies, transparency, support for targets and victims, education, training, awareness raising as well as capacity building.
Pay particular attention to SLAPPs in the context of their reviews of relevant domestic laws, policies, and practices, including under CM/Rec(2016)4 on the Protection of Journalism and the Safety of Journalists and Other Media Actors, to ensure full compliance of the member states according to the Convention.
To promote the goals of this recommendation at the national level, as well as inappropriate European and international forums, and to engage and cooperate with all interested parties to achieve those goals.
To regularly review the status of the implementation of this recommendation in terms of enhancing its impact, especially for improving the mechanisms to support targets and victims, and to inform the Committee of Ministers about the measures taken by member states and other actors, about the achieved progress and for all other shortcomings.
You can read the entire content of the Recommendation at the following link: Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2 on combating the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) – Macedonian language.
Photo: Council of Europe
