The CASE Coalition has classified a lawsuit initiated by Hrvatske šume d.o.o. (Croatian Forests Ltd, CFL) against an environmental activist as a SLAPP. CFL, a state-owned company managing Croatia’s forests, has filed three private prosecutions for criminal defamation against Vesna Grgić, an environmental activist and leader of the Green Squad. The organization, part of the veterans’ association VIDRA, has been exposing illegal deforestation in Croatia since 2018. Grgić has accused CFL of criminal activities harming the environment. CASE views the prosecutions as disproportionate, noting the imbalance of power and the excessive financial burden on Grgić. This lawsuit resembles the infamous ‘McLibel case’, highlighting the need to support environmental activists against powerful corporations. Read more here.
Source: CASE Coalition