Standing Up to Abusive Lawsuits: Legal Support Seminar with Ossigeno per L’Informazione

9 April 2025 | 15:00–18:00 CET | In-person and online | Italian (In person & Online) English (Online)

Media Defence’s CEO, Carlos Gaio, will join Italian press freedom partner Ossigeno per L’Informazione in addressing SLAPPs and the urgent need for high quality legal support. 

On 9 April 2025, we will participate in the seminar “Intimidatory Lawsuits and Legal Assistance for Journalists in Difficulty,” hosted at the Hotel Plaza in Perugia and livestreamed via Ossigeno per l’Informazione’s YouTube channel.

Organised by the Order of Journalists of Umbria in collaboration with Ossigeno per l’Informazione, the seminar will focus on the growing use of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) — legal actions designed not to win, but to silence, intimidate and financially drain journalists, bloggers, and activists.

Over the past eight years, Ossigeno’s Legal Aid Desk has provided concrete assistance to 93 journalists facing defamation lawsuits in Italy, most of which were found to be baseless. With financial support and partnership from Media Defence, Ossigeno continues to expand this vital work across the country.

The seminar will explore:

• How SLAPPs are used in Italy as tools of repression

• The financial and legal obstacles faced by targeted journalists

• Practical solutions for ensuring access to legal defence

• First-hand accounts from journalists who have been sued for doing their job

Speakers include:

• Carlos Gaio, President of Media Defence

• Mino Lorusso, journalist

• Alberto Spampinato, journalist and founder of Ossigeno

• Laura Turriziani, journalist

• Carlo Ceraso, journalist

• Andrea Di Pietro, lawyer and coordinator of Ossigeno’s Legal Aid Desk

Where: Hotel Plaza, Via Palermo 88, Perugia (Zona Prepo)
Also available online via livestream and replay on Ossigeno’s YouTube channel
When: Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 15:00–18:00 CET

CPD Accreditation: Recognised as a professional development course for journalists (5 ethics credits). Available in person and online. Registration via the Italian journalism training platform.

Interested in this Initiative? 

Read more about Media Defence’s Partnership Programme and Emergency Legal Support.
Ossigeno’s Legal Aid Desk and the cases they support, click here.

The above Seminar coincides with the International Journalism Festival (IJF) in Perugia, which Media Defence will also participate in. If you are also attending do not hesitate to reach out at communications@mediadefence.org

IJF Panel – “When Removing Bylines Isn’t Enough: How to Safely Investigate Tech in 2025”
📍 Centro Servizi G. Alessi, Perugia
📅 Thursday, 10 April 2025 – 11:00–12:00
🔗 View the panel details

Carlos Gaio, President of Media Defence, will join a panel of experts exploring the evolving risks of investigating powerful tech actors and the legal tools and safety strategies needed to protect journalists in this space. The session is organised by Luminate and features speakers from Lighthouse Reports, Privacy International, and the Signals Network.