The use of legal mechanisms to exert pressure on journalists is among the key challenges to freedom of expression today, according to the new Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index .  Ukraine’s ranking has improved by several places to the 55th out of 180 countries this year, but risks to media freedom, especially in the context of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, remain. 

In response to this, Ukraine has developed a legislative package on countering SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), taking into account Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2 and EU Directive 2024/1069. It was prepared by a working group led by Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, with the expert support from the Council of Europe Project “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in Ukraine” – Phase II.

At the roundtable discussion on the legislative package held in Kyiv, on 6 May, all participants agreed that countering SLAPPs is essential to ensure that journalists, media, and civil society can participate in public debate without fear of intimidation or abuse of legal procedures. This reform is not only about aligning Ukrainian legislation with European standards but about strengthening democratic resilience. 

According to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the aim of the legislative initiative is to create not only a formal, but an effective mechanism for protecting journalists, human rights defenders, and civic activists. He noted that methods of pressure on journalists have changed significantly over time. If in the 1990s the main threats included physical pressure, direct attacks and the use of force to obstruct professional activity, today increasingly “sophisticated” tools of influence are being used. These also include lawsuits that may be aimed at exhausting editorial resources, complicating journalistic work, or blocking socially important investigations.
Particular attention was paid to the vulnerability of regional media and independent journalists, who often lack sufficient resources for effective legal defence. For example, Olena Mudra, a journalist from Zakarpattia, has faced legal and information pressure, including lawsuits and smear campaigns, following her reporting on environmental abuses by local authorities. A similar situation was highlighted in the case of Myroslava Prymak, a journalist from Chetverta Vlada, who reported interference in both newsroom operations and her own professional activity following investigative publications, also accompanied by attempts of legal and informational pressure.
The Council of Europe has been supporting Ukraine in implementing anti-SLAPPs mechanisms for several years – it has organised consultations involving journalists, judges, law enforcement representatives, and civil society actors; provided recommendations for implementing anti-SLAPPs mechanisms in line with the European standards; supported the work of a special working group under the parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine; organised several international trainings for Ukrainian judges and media lawyers. The resulting recommendations and practical experience formed the basis for the draft legislative package. In February 2026, the Council of Europe prepared a legal opinion on the proposed legislative amendments. During the public consultation period, additional comments were submitted by the judiciary, academic community, and civil society organisations. These were presented at the event and will be reviewed by the working group. Finalisation of all proposals is planned by the end of May. So far, according to the Council of Europe experts, the current draft legislation can be considered as one of the most comprehensive frameworks in Europe.

The Council of Europe project also continues to support initiatives aimed at combating impunity for crimes against journalists and strengthening co-operation between media and law enforcement, in particular as part of the Council of Europe “Journalists Matter” Campaign for the Safety of Journalists.

The Council of Europe Project “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Media in Ukraine –  Phase II” (SFEM-UA - Phase II)" is implemented by the Council of Europe Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.