You Hear Me? – The SLAPPs that try to Silence Us: A Powerful Discussion on Freedom of Expression
On April 5, the Rule of Law Programme, together with the Liderjust Association, organised a debate as part of the One World Romania festival. We were thrilled to see more than 120 participants join us for this necessary and timely conversation on SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) – a phenomenon increasingly present in Romania and across Europe.
SLAPPs are legal actions initiated not to defend a legitimate right, but to intimidate, harass, or silence critical voices – such as investigative journalists, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders. By misusing legal tools, SLAPPs pose a serious threat to freedom of expression and democratic participation.
To explore this issue, we invited speakers with direct experience in journalism, civic activism, and legal advocacy, including:
Elena Calistru, President of Funky Citizens
Vlad Stoicescu, journalist at Dela0.ro
Victor Ilie, investigative journalist
Mihail Bumbeș, civic activist, Miliția Spirituală
Alina Monceanu, program coordinator, KAS Rule of Law Programme Southeast Europe
Simona Calapodescu, lawyer, Liderjust Association
Moderated by Luca Ciubotaru, constitutional law expert, Liderjust Association
The event opened with an engaging “human library”, where participants, split in 6 groups, could listen to the personal experiences of our guests with SLAPP cases. This was followed by a dynamic panel debate on the impact of SLAPPs and strategies to counter them. Particular attention was given to the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive, which Romania is now preparing to transpose into national law.
We believe this moment represents a crucial opportunity for Romania to adopt effective legal protections for SLAPP targets. The insights shared during the event will feed into our ongoing dialogue with the Ministry of Justice and other authorities involved in the legislative process.
This conversation also highlighted the delicate balance between freedom of expression, protection of reputation, access to justice, and the safeguarding of responsible journalism and civic activism.
We are grateful to all those who joined us and contributed to this enriching dialogue. In a democracy, protecting those who speak the truth should not be an act of bravery—it should be the norm. We hope Romania will join the ranks of countries that formally recognise and act against SLAPPs through robust legislation.
A heartfelt thank you to our guests, partners, and hosts – One World Romania and Cinema Elvire Popesco – for making this event possible.
