Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer vows to end ‘Slapp’ legal threats used by wealthy individuals and firms to stop journalists exposing wrongdoing
- Slapps are ofyen used by the wealthy to stop journalists exposing wrongdoing
- Russian oligarchs have used Slapps to silence critics in recent years
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has vowed to put a stop to lawsuits that have a ‘devastating’ impact on journalists.
Ms Frazer will today meet groups from the media and legal sectors as they try to end the legal threats, known as strategic lawsuits against public participation (Slapps).
This action is often used by wealthy individuals and firms to try to stop journalists or campaigners from exposing wrongdoing under defamation and privacy laws. A new taskforce will be set up to put an end to their use.
Ms Frazer said: ‘Slapps have led to journalists having to crowdfund their legal fees and some have even been forced to sell their homes – simply for doing their job. Working together with industry leaders, we will develop strong measures which enhance the freedom of the Press to expose wrongdoing without fear of our justice system being abused to silence journalists.’
Russian oligarchs have used Slapps to silence critics in recent years.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer will today meet groups from the media and legal sectors as they try to end the legal threats, known as strategic lawsuits against public participation (Slapps)
Catherine Belton’s book Putin’s People: How The KGB Took Back Russia And Then Took On The West included claims Roman Abramovich purchased Chelsea football club in 2003 at the Russian president’s command
A defamation case by HarperCollins and author Catherine Belton was settled with Roman Abramovich in 2021, after her book Putin’s People: How The KGB Took Back Russia And Then Took On The West included claims he purchased Chelsea football club in 2003 at the Russian president’s command.
Fiona O’Brien, of Reporters Without Borders, said: ‘Slapps can have a devastating impact on the journalists involved and their ability to report freely on matters of public interest, so we’re very pleased to see the establishment of a taskforce that recognises them as a serious and pressing threat.’
Her organisation is joined in the taskforce by groups such as the Society of Editors, the National Union of Journalists and the Law Society of England and Wales.
Source: Read Full Article