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Marking the six month anniversary of the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who had numerous vexatious lawsuits against her at the time of her murder, Index on Censorship has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the use of legal threats to silence journalists and activists
Around the world, big business and corrupt politicians are using threats of legal action to silence journalists and other critics — including NGOs and activists.
Usually this starts with a letter threatening expensive proceedings unless online articles are rewritten or removed altogether, and demanding an agreement not to publish anything similar in the future. The letters often tell the recipient that they cannot even report the fact that they have received the letter.
This process is known as a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation). SLAPPs are designed to intimidate and silence critics by burdening defendants with huge legal costs. The purpose of SLAPPs is not to win the case. They are vexatious and are designed to eat up time and resources. They are a way to harass and intimidate journalists and others and dissuade them from reporting.
SLAPP suits are a particular problem for independent media outlets and other small organisations. They are financially draining and can take years to process. Faced with the threat of a lengthy litigation battle and expensive legal fees, many who receive SLAPPs are simply forced into silence.
Index CEO Jodie Ginsberg said: “We believe that by encouraging journalists and media outlets to talk more openly about these threats, we can begin to put an end to the use of these vexatious lawsuits that threaten democracy.”
Today, Index has published a four-step fact sheet for journalists and organisations that aims to educate them about the steps they can take to protect themselves from this type of threat.
More information about the campaign can be found here.
For more information, please contact Sean Gallagher at [email protected][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”12″ style=”load-more” items_per_page=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1523883932080-5dce41f2-226c-8″ taxonomies=”5692″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
