A recent report by the International Press Institute (IPI) finds that SLAPPs pose a serious threat to climate and environmental reporting. Investigative journalists working to expose the driving forces behind environmental harms and influence life-saving climate action often find themselves defending long, costly and unfounded legal claims. Defined as any legal action that is threatened or initiated to intimidate journalists into silence through criminal or civil sanctions, the true extent of SLAPPs’ harmful effects is obscured by limited information about the experiences of African journalists.
Based on interviews and research on seven countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa – Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Somalia, Mozambique, and South Africa – the report looks at existing initiatives to defend journalists against vexatious legal cases, identifies legislation that is open to abuse by powerful actors, and traces key trends and patterns seen across the region, while also putting forward recommendations to address the threat SLAPPs pose.
The report calls on states and other stakeholders to take steps to protect journalists from SLAPPs, including the passage of anti-SLAPP legislation and repealing laws open to abuse; strengthening monitoring and training initiatives; and expanding advocacy, legal and financial support for countering SLAPPs. The implementation of the report’s recommendations by states, civil society and developmental partners is critical to address the chilling impact of SLAPPs on robust journalism, including eco-reporting.
In this webinar, participants will reflect on the research findings and explore the way forward, including discussing what the experiences of journalists tell us about SLAPPs in Africa, the urgently needed legal, policy and practical measures, and how we can work collectively to ensure that SLAPPs do not undermine the public’s right to information on issues that are critical to environmental protection and climate resilience.
Moderator: Dr Marystella Simiyu, Africa Senior Legal Advocacy Officer, IPI
Speakers:
- Estácio Valoi – Investigative journalist (Mozambique)
- Kehinde Adegboyega – Director, Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria (Nigeria)
- Nicole Fritz – Director, Campaign for Free Expression (South Africa)
- Patriciah Joseph – Programmes Manager, Katiba Institute (Kenya)