Civil Society Europe supports a letter sent to the Vice President of the European Commission Vera Jourova and signed by 26 civil society organisations representing journalists, NGOs and activists and calling for EU measures to deter Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) whihc are increasingly used to silence individuals and organisations that play a watchdog role and hold those in position off power to account. We believe this is extremely important to safeguard freedom of expression, and advocacy and assembly rights in the EU.

Besides journalists and the media, SLAPPs are also used to target academia, trade unionists, activists, civil society organisations and individual citizens, including human rights defenders.

At a time when there is no anti-SLAPP legislation in force in any EU member state, strong EU antiSLAPP measures, including legislation and legal funds for victims, will help protect those most vulnerable to such legal harassment, and send a strong political message that the EU is ready to stand up for its citizens and protect fundamental rights.

Read the full letter here.