Back The first Georgian anti-SLAPP conference will take place in Tbilisi

The first Georgian anti-SLAPP conference will take place in Tbilisi

On Thursday, 29 June 2023, at 09:30, at the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts (Conference Hall), the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Georgian Democracy Initiative, will host the first Georgian anti-SLAPP Conference, aimed at discussing the topics related to the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).

Stefan Sirbu, the Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia, Eduard Marikashvili, Head of the Georgian Democracy Initiative and Tamar Gvaramadze, the first Deputy Public Defender of Georgia will open the event.

The SLAPPs are widely recognised tools to curb freedom of expression, as well as public participation and refers to filing unfounded lawsuits by politically or economically influential persons against active members of society (journalists, NGOs, activists). the threats posed by SLAPPs have a “chilling effect” on everyone actively engaged in public life and trying to take a stand on issues of public importance. In 2021-2023, the tendency towards SLAPPs can be observed in Georgia too. At this stage, no less than 38 defamation cases are pending in the general courts of Georgia. These lawsuits have similar characteristics and bear systematic nature.

The First Georgian Anti-SLAPP Conference aims at facilitating the discussion around the SLAPPs tendency worldwide and particularly, in Georgia, by bringing together the experts from Europe, the USA, and Georgia, as well as the representatives of key stakeholders, such as media, civil society, justice system, association of lawyers etc. The conference is a first attempt to raise awareness about SLAPPs and to identify solutions to it in Georgia. Herewith, the event will also become the occasion for establishing the Georgian anti-SLAPP platform by Civil Society Organisations.

The persons interested in the online participation, are kindly asked to register at the following link: Council of Europe Invitation / ევროპის საბჭოს მოსაწვევი - Google Forms

The conference is held in the framework of the Council of Europe project “Strengthening Media Freedom, Internet Governance and Personal Data Protection in Georgia”, in partnership with the Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI). The conference is supported by the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia, the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) and USAID Rule of Law Program implemented by the East-West Management Institute (EWMI).

Contact person:

Ann (Anuka) Toklikishvili, Communications Officer at the Council of Europe Office in Georgia

Email address: ann.toklikishvili@coe.int  | Mobile phone number: +995 595 221 999.

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What is the goal?

To enhance media, internet and personal data protection landscape in Georgia through improved legislation and policy as well as increased capacity of key stakeholders to confront challenges in line with human rights principles. 

How does the Project work?

The Project focuses on the following:

  • Promoting professionalism and respect for ethical rules among journalists;
  • Increasing capacity of media regulatory and selfregulatory bodies;
  • Facilitating cooperation and exchange among stakeholders in the field of internet governance;
  • Raising awareness about international standards in the field of access to public information;
  • Supporting major stakeholders to enhance protection of journalists;  
  • Supporting inclusive and informed decisionmaking in the legislative processes in the fields of audiovisual services and personal data protection;
  • Assisting policy development in the field of personal data protection and use of algorithms.
What is the Project duration?

The project runs from 1 February 2021 until 31 December 2023.

What is the budget of the Project?

The total budget of the project amounts to EUR 481 000.

The Project is funded by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023. Action Plan contributors are European Union, the Human Rights Trust Fund*, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the Fund to End Violence Against Children (EVAC).

*Human Rights Trust Fund (HRTF) brings together 7 contributors – Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Project partners

Communications Commission (Media Regulatory Authority)

Charter of Journalistic Ethics of Georgia (CSO)

Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development

Telecom Operators’ Association of Georgia (CSO)

State Inspector’s Service (Data Protection Authority)

Ministry of Justice

Public Defender of Georgia

Contacts

The project is implemented by the Council of Europe’s Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression of the Information Society Department with the Council of Europe Office in Georgia.

Senior Project Officer

Tamar Kobakhidze