Anti-Corruption Research and Education Centre (ACREC) NaUKMA has launched the project “Protecting Public Participation and Media Freedom in Ukraine: Strengthening Democratic Resilience through Anti-SLAPP Mechanisms”. The project will last 10 months and is being implemented with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine.
The ACREC team has been working on countering SLAPP lawsuits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) for a long time. These lawsuits are used to silence journalists, whistleblowers, activists, human rights defenders, and civil society organisations.
Aim of the project
The project builds on ACREC’s long-standing work on SLAPPs and aims to support the adoption of anti-SLAPP legislation in line with the key safeguards set out in the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive (EU) 2024/1069 and to help public institutions and legal professionals prepare for its effective implementation.
The project will produce a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), an Implementation Roadmap, policy briefs, infographics, and other analytical materials. It will also feature a roundtable, a series of webinars, discussions, and workshops with Members of Parliament, representatives of public institutions, judges, lawyers, media lawyers, journalists, and civil society organisations.
Expected Results
The project is expected to provide legislators and public institutions with analytical materials to help assess the impact of anti-SLAPP legislation and support its effective implementation. Judges, lawyers, media lawyers, journalists, and civil society representatives will gain a better understanding of the new legal mechanisms and be better prepared to apply them in practice. Roundtables, consultations, webinars, and other professional events will encourage dialogue, build a shared understanding of the reform, and strengthen support for legislative change. At the same time, the project’s communication campaign will help raise public awareness of the importance of anti-SLAPP mechanisms for protecting freedom of expression, public participation, and anti-corruption efforts.
As a result, the project will contribute to the adoption and effective implementation of anti-SLAPP legislation in Ukraine. In the long term, this will help strengthen freedom of expression, promote public participation, and reinforce democratic institutions.
The project “Protecting Public Participation and Media Freedom in Ukraine: Strengthening Democratic Resilience through Anti-SLAPP Mechanisms” aims to support the adoption and effective implementation of anti-SLAPP legislation in Ukraine in line with Directive (EU) 2024/1069. The project is implemented by the Anti-Corruption Research and Education Centre (ACREC) at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.