Athens Conference to Highlight Growing Threat of SLAPP Lawsuits Against Journalists
Athens, May 27 – Journalists, judges, legal scholars, and policymakers from Greece and European institutions will convene in Athens on May 29 to address the escalating threat of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). The conference, organized by the Council of Europe and the Educational Foundation of the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA), aims to tackle one of the most contentious issues facing independent media across Europe.
The event comes amid growing concern over the use of legal proceedings designed to discourage investigative journalism and critical reporting through costly litigation and financial pressure. Press freedom organizations argue that SLAPPs are often initiated not to win in court, but to intimidate journalists, silence criticism, and exhaust media organizations financially and professionally.
SLAPPs: A Prominent Issue in Greece
The issue has gained particular prominence in Greece, where investigative journalists have faced lawsuits related to stories concerning matters of public interest. The Athens conference will gather senior representatives from the judiciary, government, legal profession, and European institutions to discuss the evolving European response to this phenomenon and its implications for Greek legislation.
Opening remarks will be delivered by Maria Antoniadou, President of ESIEA; Christina Tsagli, Vice President of the Athens Bar Association; Ioannis Bougas, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Justice; and Dimitris Kirmikiroglou, Secretary General for Communication and Information. Charalambos Sevastidis, First Vice President of the Union of Judges and Prosecutors, is also expected to attend.
European Developments and Legal Frameworks
The first session will focus on European developments and the legal framework emerging at the continental level. Yiannis Ktistakis, President of the Third Section of the European Court of Human Rights and Associate Professor of Public International Law at the Democritus University of Thrace, will examine the court’s jurisprudence and its role in protecting freedom of expression.
Evangelos Nikolaou, Judge at the Court of First Instance and Doctor of Law, will discuss the European Union legal framework surrounding anti-SLAPP measures. The Council of Europe’s perspective will be presented by Evangelia Vasalou, Project Officer in the Freedom of Expression Cooperation Division, who will address Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2 of the Committee of Ministers concerning the fight against SLAPPs, alongside broader initiatives being developed by the organization.
Greece’s Domestic Response and Implementation Challenges
Attention will then shift to Greece’s domestic response and the challenges surrounding implementation. Antonis Karampatzos, Professor of Civil Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, will discuss contemporary pressures on press freedom and the legal challenges facing independent journalism.
Christina Vrettou, a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, will analyze the incorporation of Directive (EU) 2024/1069 into Greek law and the policy choices facing lawmakers. The conference will also address the emergence of so-called “eco-SLAPPs,” lawsuits targeting environmental reporting and activism. This issue will be examined by Katerina Noumta, Programmes and Communications Officer at the Hellenic League for Human Rights, together with Iasonas Gousetis, the organization’s Programmes and Development Officer.
The Journalists’ Union of Athens has repeatedly argued that Greece should move beyond the EU directive’s focus on cross-border disputes and extend anti-SLAPP protections to domestic legal proceedings as well. For organizers, the debate extends beyond legal technicalities. The event reflects wider concerns over democratic resilience, the ability of journalists to investigate public-interest issues without intimidation, and the future of media freedom in Europe.
The conference will take place at ESIEA headquarters in central Athens and will be available through livestream for international audiences.
Source: https://www.dnews.gr/eidhseis/news-in-english/590658/athens-conference-to-spotlight-growing-threat-of-slapp-lawsuits-against-journalists
