New Pilot Offers Better Protection Against SLAPP Cases for Freelance Journalists
amsterdam, donderdag, 17 juli 2025.
A one-year pilot is being launched by Spit and Free Press Unlimited to provide better protection against SLAPP cases for freelance journalists and small editorial teams. These cases, aimed at intimidating journalists, often result in enormous costs and stress. The pilot will offer early legal and financial assistance, ensuring that journalists are better prepared for potential lawsuits. The project will commence in August 2025 with assessments and roundtable discussions to identify problems and needs.
New Pilot Offers Better Protection Against SLAPP Cases for Freelance Journalists
A one-year pilot is being launched by Spit and Free Press Unlimited to provide better protection against SLAPP cases for freelance journalists and small editorial teams. These cases, aimed at intimidating journalists, often result in enormous costs and stress. The pilot will offer early legal and financial assistance, ensuring that journalists are better prepared for potential lawsuits. The project will commence in August 2025 with assessments and roundtable discussions to identify problems and needs [1].
Current Situation and Need for Assistance
Parcival Weijnen, an investigative journalist and co-founder of Spit, has personal experience with SLAPP cases. He has encountered three SLAPPs, one of which is currently ongoing. According to Weijnen, these cases bring significant costs and stress. Assistance is often only available after publication, whereas journalists need advice during the preparatory phase [1].
Objectives of the Pilot
The aim of the pilot is to better organise and make legal and financial assistance more accessible. The pilot will begin with an assessment to identify problems and needs, evaluate existing resources, and highlight deficiencies. Further roundtable discussions are planned with freelancers, editorial teams, and lawyers [1].
Concrete Offer of Assistance
Work is underway on a dashboard for immediate legal assistance for freelance investigative journalists and small publishers. This dashboard will enable journalists to quickly and efficiently find help when needed. As Jasmijn de Zeeuw from Free Press Unlimited indicated at the Journalism Fund (SvdJ), this could involve an attorney reviewing the article to ensure it would stand up in court if necessary. The attorney also helps build the evidence and supports the journalist in court, should it come to that [1].
Legislative Proposal and European Context
In addition to the pilot, a legislative proposal has been submitted to align Dutch legislation with European SLAPP rules. This proposal is a crucial piece of the puzzle to better protect freelance journalists and small editorial teams against intimidation and legal attacks [1].
International Support and Collaboration
The international community supports these efforts. For example, the International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) regularly provides updates and tools for journalists worldwide. These organisations play a critical role in improving the safety and support for journalists [2][3].
Challenges and Safety Measures
Despite positive developments, journalists’ organisations sometimes face serious challenges. For instance, the Justice for Journalists Foundation (JFJ) was labelled as an ‘undesirable organisation’ within the territory of the Russian Federation by the Russian Ministry of Justice on 15 April 2025. This underscores the ongoing need for international cooperation and support to protect journalists [4].