The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered a draft law aimed at strengthening the protection of journalists, media and civil society representatives against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
The registration of draft law No. 16117 was announced by Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech. The draft law seeks to establish legal mechanisms to prevent the misuse of court proceedings to intimidate, financially exhaust or hinder the professional activities of journalists, media and civil society activists. The draft law was co-authored by 25 Members of Parliament of Ukraine.
The draft law provides, in particular, for the possibility of early dismissal of unfounded lawsuits, mechanisms for shifting the burden of proof in cases related to public participation, as well as measures to reduce the financial burden on defendants.
The development of the legislative package on combating SLAPP was guided by Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2 and EU Directive 2024/1069. The process was supported through the expertise and financial assistance of the Council of Europe project “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in Ukraine – Phase II”.
The Council of Europe has been consistently supporting Ukraine in establishing effective anti-SLAPP mechanisms. In 2024, consultations were held with journalists, judges, law enforcement representatives and civil society representatives, resulting in recommendations on introducing anti-SLAPP mechanisms in line with Council of Europe and European Union standards. In 2025, the Council of Europe supported the work of a dedicated working group under the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, and organised several international training activities for Ukrainian judges and media lawyers. The recommendations and practical experience gained through this work contributed to the development of the legislative package.
In February 2026, the Council of Europe also provided a legal opinion on the proposed legislative amendments, which contributed to the further development of the legislative package.
