As part of UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day, the Council of Europe, the Coalition against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and the UN Human Rights Regional Office for Europe (OHCHR) jointly organised a side event to examine the challenges posed by strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to freedom of expression, and to inform about the current initiatives to counter them in Europe.

The side event brought together experts and representatives of civil society and regional organisations, as well as journalists and media associations, within the framework of efforts to understand the current impact of SLAPPs on media freedom and public interest journalism in Europe.  Participants and experts discussed global and regional trends, analysed how SLAPPs abusive legal actions curtail freedom of information and how to respond, and covered anti-SLAPP legal and policy measures to prevent justice from being turned against journalists. The focus was on ongoing efforts, persisting challenges and ways to advance progress.

The Council of Europe Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers CM/Rec(2024)2 on countering the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), Council of Europe co-operation activities in the field and relevant developments concerning the ‘Journalists Matter’ Campaign for the Safety of Journalists were also addressed.