Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are a significant concern for journalists and activists, as they are used by political and economic power holders to suppress critical voices. Addressing this challenge from the perspective of journalists and lawyers, and exploring how to integrate the Council of Europe and European Union’s anti SLAPP standards into the local legal frameworks, were the topics discussed at a recent capacity building session.

Thirty-five journalists and lawyers from across Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the two-day event. They were introduced to the topic with personal experiences from a journalist and an activist, who shared their legal struggles against powerful plaintiffs. The training continued with the  presentation of the anti SLAPP Recommendation of the Council of Europe CM/Rec(2024)2, adopted by the Committee of Ministers in April 2024, and the EU Directive on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings. Participants then engaged in practical exercises, discussing how to integrate these international standards into their practice and domestic legal framework.

The capacity building activity was organised within the action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PROFREX)”,  implemented by the Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression of the Council of Europe, and is part of the joint European Union and the Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.