The fifth European SLAPP Contest, organised by the CASE Coalition on 28 April, highlighted individuals and entities using lawsuits to silence critics across Europe. Winners included the Barabás Brothers (HELL ENERGY Ltd, Hungary) as SLAPP Addict of the Year, Belgian politician Claude Eerdekens as SLAPP Politician of the Year, Croatian judge Ivan Marković as SLAPP Jurist 2026, John Keegan and Keegan Quarries Ltd (Ireland) as Corporate Bully of the Year, and Italian energy company Eni, which received the Green Gag Award. The contest underscores how SLAPPs are used by powerful actors to intimidate journalists, activists, and civil society, with cases showing growing legal pressure and personal impact on those targeted. The 7 May deadline for EU Member States to transpose the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive into national law will be a key test of whether these commitments translate into effective protections. Read more here.
Source: CASE Coalition