EU under pressure to defend journalists against abusive lawsuits
Brussels, October 11, 2023—As the European Union negotiates a landmark law to prevent the powerful and wealthy using malicious litigation to silence the media, the Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on the bloc to ensure that proposed legislation is robust and ambitious enough to protect the press. On Monday, the European Parliament and…
CPJ joins call for Malta to publish expert report on media
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined four other press freedom groups on Thursday in calling on Malta’s government to publish without delay an expert report aimed at improving the difficult environment for the media following the assassination of leading investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and to consult widely on any proposed legislation. The Committee of…
CPJ, press freedom groups express support for Guardian journalist Carole Cadwalladr following libel verdict
The Committee to Protect Journalists and 12 other international press freedom organizations reiterated their support on Wednesday for journalist Carole Cadwalladr after the U.K. Court of Appeal ruled in a libel lawsuit against her on February 28. Cadwalladr reports for the Guardian newspaper and its Sunday sister paper, the Observer. Millionaire businessman and political donor…
‘I am challenged at the court for simply doing my job’: Journalists covering climate issues in Europe face growing threats
Skyrocketing temperatures and catastrophic flooding have hammered home the realities of climate change in Europe, making environmental coverage one of the continent’s most important beats. It’s also an increasingly dangerous one as journalists face legal and physical harassment for reporting on polluters, amid other concerns. Of course, Europe isn’t the only place where journalists find…
CPJ welcomes European Union’s anti-SLAPP initiative
Brussels, April 27, 2022 – The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday welcomed the European Commission’s move to pass an initiative seeking to address the abuse of SLAPP lawsuits in Europe. SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation) are abusive lawsuits filed by powerful officials, businesspeople, or corporations against individuals, including critical journalists or news outlets,…
CPJ joins statement welcoming Council of Europe action against abusive lawsuits
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined other civil society groups and press freedom organizations in a joint statement on Wednesday welcoming recent steps by the Council of Europe to limit abusive lawsuits aimed at restricting public speech. A Committee of Experts with legal and media freedom backgrounds is set to draft a Recommendation for the…
CPJ, partner organizations call on Council of Europe to take action against SLAPP lawsuits
CPJ has joined over 100 civil society organizations to call on the Council of Europe to issue a recommendation to address strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) in Europe. SLAPPs are abusive lawsuits filed by powerful officials, businesspeople, or corporations against individuals, including critical journalists or news outlets, to restrict or censor critical reporting. They…
EUobserver reporter Eszter Zalan on covering the EU amid coronavirus, disinformation, and economic crisis
Eszter Zalan is a correspondent for the Brussels-based EUobserver. She covered conflict and war zones for Népszabadság, the now-shuttered Hungarian daily, for several years, and covered Hungary for Agence France-Presse, before joining EUobserver in 2015. Recently, she has reported on EU affairs, including Brexit, Hungary, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. CPJ spoke with Zalan via…
CPJ welcomes call for EU directive against SLAPPs
Brussels, February 22, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed a call from members of the European Parliament on Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans to introduce a new European Union directive to stop abusive lawsuits against critical journalists.