Brussels – Gag lawsuits are a widespread phenomenon in Europe, hitting journalists, activists, academics, their organisations, and others, a new Greenpeace EU report finds. Aimed at silencing critical voices, they are a severe threat to fundamental rights and democracy, Greenpeace warns.
Greenpeace EU democracy policy adviser Ariadna Rodrigo said: “Exposing human exploitation, environmental destruction, corruption or conflicts of interest shouldn’t cost you your house or your life savings. But too often, those telling the truth are threatened with hefty fines or sued into silence by corporations and powerful individuals. Such legal bullying has no place in our society. The EU must end this appalling practice and forcefully defend our fundamental right to free speech.”
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation or SLAPPs are lawsuits brought by companies or powerful individuals with the aim of silencing critics, who are usually individuals and organisations exposing corporate or political wrongdoing.
Whilst most of these threats are not in the public domain, the report documents how widespread the problem is across Europe. For example, in Germany, coal giant RWE is suing a 24-year-old activist for encouraging acts of civil disobedience in response to the climate crisis. Romanian care worker Elena Popa is facing multiple lawsuits for creating a Facebook group about abusive employers. In Spain, meat producer Coren has sued a local activist over water pollution accusations. Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was facing over 40 gag suits when she was brutally murdered.
Despite the preponderance of abuse, no legal protection against SLAPPs currently exists in the EU, neither in its member states, nor in EU legislation. Other jurisdictions, including in the US and Canada, already have anti-SLAPP laws.
The European Commission is set to table anti-SLAPP measures at the end of 2020 as part of its European Democracy Action Plan, according to Vice-President Vera Jourová.
Alongside more than one hundred NGOs, Greenpeace is advocating for an anti-SLAPP directive that protects all SLAPP victims across the EU, regardless of their profession.
Read or download the full report.
Contacts:
Ariadna Rodrigo – Greenpeace democracy EU policy adviser: +32 (0)479 99 69 22, [email protected]
Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 19 11, [email protected]
For breaking news and comment on EU affairs: www.twitter.com/GreenpeaceEU
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties.