Intimidatory lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists and media freedom activists by draining their resources have proliferated in Serbia, where there is no legislation to curb aggressive litigation by the rich and powerful. The Slavko Curuvija Foundation received a defamation lawsuit from Ratko Romic, a former state security operative indicted for his involvement in the murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija. This is the third defamation case against the Foundation related to the trial. SLAPPs are used to intimidate critics through prolonged legal battles. Over 250 SLAPP cases were recorded in Serbia in 2023. The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and other organizations have condemned these practices, urging Serbia to implement the EU anti-SLAPP directive. Effective collaboration among civil society, governments, and EU institutions is essential to combat these lawsuits and protect democracy and free speech in Serbia. Read more here.
Source: Balkan Insight