DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SLAPPs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SLAPPs</span></a> In Europe: How The <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EU" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>EU</span></a> Can Protect Watchdogs From <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AbusiveLawsuits" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AbusiveLawsuits</span></a></p><p>In their new policy paper, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Liberties" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Liberties</span></a> and other rights and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/pressfreedom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>pressfreedom</span></a> groups explain why abusive lawsuits (SLAPPs) against watchdogs and journalists threaten <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/democracies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>democracies</span></a> in Europe and what governments and the EU should do tackle it.</p><p>by Linda Ravo<br>January 13, 2022 </p><p>"The European Commission is set to shortly unveil its proposal for EU-wide measures against SLAPPs. In a new policy paper published today, Liberties and other rights and press freedom groups which form the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CASE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CASE</span></a>), explain what SLAPPs are, how big of a threat they are to watchdogs in Europe, and propose what governments and the EU should do tackle the problem.</p><p>Censorship by litigation</p><p>"Citizens are supposed to be in charge of their democracies. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Watchdogs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Watchdogs</span></a> like <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/journalists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>journalists</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/rights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>rights</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/defenders" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>defenders</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/activist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>activist</span></a> groups are key to enable citizens to get informed, shape their opinions, and keep an eye on people in power to make sure they do what is best for all of us.</p><p>"As we explain here, SLAPPs (an acronym which stands for 'strategic lawsuit against public participation'), are a form of abuse of law and justice that <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/corrupt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>corrupt</span></a> politicians and powerful <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/businesses" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>businesses</span></a> across Europe increasingly make use of to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/harass" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>harass</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/bankrupt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>bankrupt</span></a> and intimidate <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/journalists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>journalists</span></a>, activists and other watchdogs into silence. Helped by expensive and unscrupulous law firms, they sue them on grounds of meritless and abusive claims with the purpose of shutting down acts of public participation, including public interest journalism, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PeacefulProtest" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PeacefulProtest</span></a> or <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/boycotts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>boycotts</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/advocacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>advocacy</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/whistleblowing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>whistleblowing</span></a>, or simply speaking out against abuse of power."</p><p><a href="https://www.liberties.eu/en/stories/slapp-case-submission/43948" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">liberties.eu/en/stories/slapp-</span><span class="invisible">case-submission/43948</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DigitalFreeSpeech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DigitalFreeSpeech</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DirectAction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DirectAction</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CriminalizingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CriminalizingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterProtectors" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WaterProtectors</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForestDefenders" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ForestDefenders</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EnvironmentalActivists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>EnvironmentalActivists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateActivists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateActivists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateJustice" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateJustice</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SilencingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SilencingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EcoActivists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>EcoActivists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Censorship" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Censorship</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanRightsViolations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HumanRightsViolations</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Article20" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Article20</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RightToProtest" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RightToProtest</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SlowMarch" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SlowMarch</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilAndGas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BigOilAndGas</span></a></p>