Addressing SLAPPs as an increasing threat to media freedom and public interest journalism in Europe
Join us for the event "Addressing SLAPPs as an increasing threat to media freedom and public interest journalism in Europe initiatives, experiences, opportunities and challenges from across the region"
05 May 25
Dear colleagues, dear friends,
We are pleased to invite you to a side-event to the UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) celebrations, cohosted by the civil society Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), the UN Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Office for Europe and the Council of Europe.
Date and Time: Monday, 5 May 2025, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Location: Press Club Brussels Europe (Rue Froissart 95, 1040 Bruxelles)
Language: English
Registration required by 30 April at this link.
In line with a global trend, Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are increasingly used across Europe by powerful individuals and entities to suppress public participation and critical reporting on public interest matters. As human rights mechanisms have been raising the alarm over the impact of SLAPPs on media freedom and public interest journalism, and civic space more broadly, civil society and regional actors such as the Council of Europe and the European Commission launched initiatives and adopted measures and recommendations whose implementation constitutes a key opportunity to discourage and counter such abuse of the justice system, as part of States’ obligations to respect and promote international human rights standards.
Against this background, this interactive exchange will bring together UN experts, representatives of European institutions and civil society alongside journalists and media actors to discuss challenges and opportunities in addressing SLAPPs in Europe based on insights and initiatives from across the region and explore how different actors can help advance responses.
Please find the event’s draft agenda attached. We sincerely hope you will be able to join us and contribute to this critical discussion and we would appreciate if you could kindly confirm your participation by registering through this link by Wednesday, 30 April. Please note that the event is meant as an in-person event. If you are unable to attend in person, please contact us and we will try and accommodate your remote connection. We look forward to your participation!
