The CASE Coalition has identified two lawsuits by Judge Dusanka Djordjevic against Serbian media outlet KRIK as SLAPPs, aiming to silence independent journalism. Judge Djordjevic and her husband, lawyer Aleksandar Djordjevic, filed both criminal and civil suits against KRIK, its editor-in-chief Stevan Dojcinovic, and journalist Bojana Pavlovic. They claim KRIK’s “Judge Who Judges” database, which increases judiciary transparency by profiling judges, violated their privacy. The civil suit demands the removal of their profiles, a fine of 100 EUR per day for non-compliance, 6,500 EUR in damages, and legal costs. The criminal suit seeks 10-month prison sentences and a two-year occupational ban for the journalists. These lawsuits could deter journalists and watchdogs if not dismissed. CASE Coalition stresses that judges should uphold, not misuse, the law, and plans to release guidelines to help identify and prevent SLAPPs. Read more here.
Source: CASE Coalition