European Anti-SLAPP Conference 2022

On 20 October 2022, ECPMF and the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe will host the first ever European Anti-SLAPP Conference.

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) will organise the European Anti-SLAPP Conference. It is organised under the patronage of the European Parliament and with the support of the Council of Europe. The event will take place in a hybrid format, with participation online and in-person in Strasbourg, France.

Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are legal threats and lawsuits used by powerful individuals and corporations to limit freedom of expression by intimidating and discouraging journalists from gathering and publishing information on public matters. The strategy of using fully or partially unfounded lawsuits against journalists forces them to invest time, money, and energy into defending themselves in courts. In the last three years, civil society organisations in Europe joined forces to counter SLAPPs which resulted in mobilising the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of Europe into responding and countering such threats with concrete initiatives.

The aim of the conference is to examine European and national political and other initiatives against SLAPPs, to bring to light its impact on journalism and to discuss available financial and practical support for journalists targeted by SLAPPs. The conference will bring together CASE coalition members, SLAPP victims, experts, journalists, media professionals, lawyers, policymakers, free speech advocates, academics, ombudspersons, judges, and civil society representatives.

A full conference agenda and registration – available here