A presentation of the results of public consultations on the draft law against SLAPPs – strategic lawsuits that may be used to exert pressure on journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and other participants in public debate – was held at the National Council.
The event brought together representatives of parliament, state and international organizations, civil society, and the media. Participants summarized the consultations, presented a revised package of legislative amendments, and discussed the next steps for its advancement.
Opening the meeting, Chair of the National Council Olha Herasymiuk noted that Ukraine is working on anti-SLAPP legislation in parallel with other European states, which, following the adoption of the relevant EU Directive and Council of Europe recommendations, are adapting their legal mechanisms to the new standards.
“For Ukraine, the issue of SLAPP has long ceased to be theoretical. We have already witnessed court cases that repeatedly return society to the discussion about the balance between the right to judicial protection and freedom of expression. Therefore, our meeting marks a new stage in the transition from professional debate to the formation of modern legislation. For the National Council, it is particularly important that this legislation is being shaped through open dialogue involving parliament, state institutions, the media community, human rights defenders, international partners, and experts.”
The position of international partners was reaffirmed by Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine. She noted that SLAPP lawsuits are not ordinary legal disputes but a form of abuse of judicial procedures aimed at intimidating journalists, activists, and all those who raise issues of public importance. According to her, this is precisely why anti-SLAPP legislation is a crucial element in safeguarding freedom of expression, and UNESCO will continue to support this process in Ukraine through the Global Media Defence Fund.
Continuing the discussion on the significance of the forthcoming law, National Council member Oleksandr Burmahin, who moderated the event, emphasized that for the regulator, the issue of countering SLAPPs is directly linked to ensuring media pluralism. Journalists who enjoy proper legal protection can more confidently address matters of public importance and more fully exercise freedom of expression. Yet above all, anti-SLAPP legislation is intended not to protect a single profession, but the right of society to know the truth.
The revised package of draft laws was presented by media lawyers Lyudmyla Opryshko and Olga Vdovenko of the NGO “Human Rights Platform,” as well as by Vita Volodovska, Executive Director of the NGO “Digital Security Lab.” The legislative proposals include a mechanism for the early dismissal of manifestly unfounded claims, improvements to judicial statistics on SLAPP cases, and additional procedural safeguards for individuals engaged in activities in the public interest.
Among other proposals, Vita Volodovska suggested introducing a separate record of SLAPP cases. This mechanism would, for the first time, make it possible to monitor the scale of SLAPP lawsuits in Ukraine: how many such cases are being considered by the courts, who most frequently acts as plaintiffs, and whom they seek to hold liable.
According to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, after further refinement the draft law is expected to be registered and submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration at the end of August or the beginning of September. At the same time, participants in the discussion stressed that the success of the reform will depend not only on the adoption of the law, but also on how effectively the new mechanisms function in practice. Equally important is the preparation of judges and lawyers, as well as explaining the new mechanisms to all those who will use them.
The event was organized by the NGO “Human Rights Platform” within the framework of a project implemented with the financial support of UNESCO’s Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF).
Active work on Ukrainian anti-SLAPP legislation began in 2025. In June, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech established a special working group to develop mechanisms for countering Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP). The group included Members of Parliament, representatives of the judiciary, media lawyers, human rights defenders, international experts, and National Council member Oleksandr Burmahin. In 2026, the working group prepared a legislative package, conducted public consultations, and revised the draft laws based on the feedback received.
SLAPP refers to the filing of various lawsuits aimed at silencing or intimidating journalists, civic activists, and human rights defenders when they investigate and raise issues of public importance.
