A parliamentary committee is calling for action against the use of SLAPPs (strategic litigation against public participation) by wealthy individuals to silence journalists and critics in the UK.
In a letter to the Ministry of Justice and DCMS, The House of Lords Select Committee on Communications and Digital is asking for the creation of a new SLAPPs defence fund paid for by wrongdoers; more action from the regulator and multi-million-pound increases in fining powers to deter abusive lawsuits; greater oversight of law firms using 'black PR' and private intelligence agencies to harass journalists; and action to close loopholes around money laundering and legal advice.
The move was prompted by the hearing on 24 January about a lawsuit taken by Yevgeny Prigozhin against Eliot Higgins, founder of investigative website Bellingcat. The Russian owner of the paramilitary firm Wagner Group who was subject to sanctions was still able to sue Higgins in the UK over his reporting.
According to the letter, HM Treasury had enabled Prigozhin’s British lawyers to work a libel case again the journalist, including flights to St Petersburg for a meeting about the case. Higgins has reportedly been left with an estimated £70,000 in legal costs. He suggested the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation became "embroiled in a scheme to undermine the very sanctions they were responsible for governing."
The committee also writes that SLAPPs are "one of the most significant challenges journalists face and have a chilling effect on freedom of speech", asking for changes in the Government’s National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists.
Committee chair Baroness Stowell of Beeston said: "The current level of activity to tackle SLAPPs is wholly inadequate. The regulator is not properly equipped with the powers necessary to deter law firms against abusive practices. But it needs to demonstrate greater boldness in holding law firms to account to inspire greater confidence. The decent law firms will stand to gain from a strong regulator and should support the SRA in being much more proactive and open in their investigations and penalties.
"Meanwhile the Treasury is apparently helping sanctioned Russian paramilitary owners pursue libel cases against UK journalists. We have called for clarity on how this was allowed to happen and how we can ensure it never happens again."
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