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Coalition against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE)
Media Defence is a member of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE). CASE is a coalition of non-governmental organisations from across Europe, working to expose SLAPPs, build resilience and advocate for law reform to prevent their use.
Featured Cases
From Consensus to Censorship: How Wartime Measures in Ukraine Are Eroding Press Freedom
As we near 30 months since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, we spoke with our Ukrainian partner, Human Rights Platform (HRP). Media lawyer, Oleksandra Stepanova, discussed growing concerns over the erosion of press freedoms and increasing state media control. She tells us how wartime restrictions, once largely understood as necessary,…
Landmark Ruling in Uruguay: Court Dismisses $450k SLAPP Suit Against La Diaria
Leer en español By Edison Lanza and Matías Jackson A recent first instance ruling by a Civil Court in Montevideo (Uruguay) dismissed a damages lawsuit with characteristics of a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) filed against the print and digital media outlet La Diaria. After a civil process that took two years, the landmark…
Una sentencia ofrece argumentos para desestimar acciones SLAPP en Uruguay
Read in English Por Edison Lanza y Matías Jackson Una reciente sentencia de primera instancia dictada por un Juzgado Letrado en lo Civil de Montevideo (Uruguay) desestimó una demanda de daños y perjuicios con características de un litigio estratégico contra la participación pública (SLAPP por su sigla en inglés) interpuesta contra el medio escrito y…
Brazil: Supreme Court Acts to Prevent the Silencing of Journalists through Judicial Harassment
In a landmark ruling, Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court (STF) has declared judicial harassment of journalists unconstitutional, marking a significant step towards protecting press freedom in the country. The decision will significantly curtail the misuse the legal system to intimidate and silence journalists. The case was filed by our partner, the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji).…
SLAPPs in South Africa: The Karyn Maughan Case
Private prosecutions are rare in South Africa. That is particularly true when an individual accused in another criminal case prosecutes a journalist who is reporting on their case. They are even more unprecedented when the accused who is pursuing the private prosecution is a former president of the country. Such a case, initiated by former…
Fighting SLAPPs in Colombia
Constitutional Court declares law facilitating SLAPPs in Colombia 'unconstitutional'. In Colombia, there is a 75-year-old law that regulates the conduct of civil lawsuits against press publications. On the 13th May 2021, the Constitutional Court of Colombia declared it unconstitutional. The law stated that where a person stood accused of causing harm through a publication, they…