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Events

Side event “Turning justice against freedom of expression"

Date

04 May 2024

AT

Discussion on strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs)

LOCATION

Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, Santiago, Chile; and online

THEME

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY GLOBAL CONFERENCE

Side event

“Turning justice against freedom of expression: how to tackle the increasing use of SLAPPs to silence journalists and others investigating and reporting on the current environmental crisis.”

Saturday 4 May 2024, 10:00 – 11:00 UTC−4, Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, Room 2, Santiago, Chile; and online.

Background

Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are increasingly used by state actors, but also more and more by business actors, against journalists, media workers, human rights defenders and environmental activists. The side event will give an overview of that concerning trend and examine factors that favour it, including legal frameworks criminalizing defamation. It will also explore means and actions that can be used to tackle that trend, including anti-SLAPPs laws or the use by courts of abuse of process provisions, without jeopardizing the right to access to justice. 

Panellists:

Ms Irene Khan
United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression

Ms Gypsy Guillén Kaiser
Advocacy and Communications Director, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Dr. Francesca Farrington
Anti-SLAPP Research Hub, University of Aberdeen

Ms Flutura Kusari
Senior Legal Advisor, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

Ms Christen Dobson
Co-Head, Civic Freedoms & Human Rights Defenders Programme, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre

Moderation will be provided by Renaud de Villaine, Media Freedom and Safety of Journalists Adviser, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Link to follow the event

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81882576192?pwd=bUeiqO3IMJ7aOU84pfCh1xdUBIh6RW.1

Documentation