United Kingdom

“When this lawsuit was filed more than two years ago, several organisations came together to call this legal action out as a SLAPP, aimed at intimidating and silencing Cadwalladr. We today reaffirm this characterisation and unreservedly reiterate our support for Cadwalladr as she continues to defend her public interest work,” the organisations, including IFEX, said.

“We condemn today’s decision, which will prove historic for all the wrong reasons. We fully believe that Julian Assange has been targeted for his contributions to journalism, and we defend this case because of its dangerous implications for the future of journalism and press freedom around the world” – RSF

IFEX joins civil society organisations in expressing serious concern at the legal proceedings that are being brought against journalist and author Catherine Belton and her publisher HarperCollins.

The joint letter urges the U.S. to drop its appeal in the extradition case of the Wikileaks publisher. A recent investigative report alleged that the CIA had plotted to kidnap and possibly kill Assange.

“We urge the UK government to consider measures, including legal measures, that would protect journalists and other public watchdogs from abusive legal actions that are aimed at silencing them. Our democracy relies on their ability to hold power to account.”

Fourteen organisations have called on INTERPOL to clarify its involvement in the arrest warrant issued against British journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, amid fears she may be arrested in Spain following threats by the Malaysian government.

“We welcome the apparent progress in the investigation into the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, but are concerned that there has still not been justice nearly two and a half years on. Delayed justice has only contributed to a worrying overall climate for media in Northern Ireland” – RSF.

The US appeal is against the January 2021 decision by UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser, ruling against Assange’s extradition to the US on mental health grounds.

“ENRC’s campaign of legal action across two jurisdictions targeting more than a dozen people and other entities seems a deliberate attempt to shift the focus away from ENRC’s alleged corruption to those conducting legitimate investigations, whether journalists or public authorities.”

Privacy International analyses the court’s judgement and takes a look at what comes next.

The extent to which there is a growing trend of intolerance to speech at universities is unclear. On campuses, freedom of expression issues are best dealt with by existing legislation and by the universities and Student Unions themselves.

“Realtid” is being sued by a Swedish businessman and his group of companies for eight articles they published in 2020. Organisations are concerned that this SLAPP appears to be an effort to discredit the journalists and force them to remove their investigative articles.

“There are many ways in which protection of freedom of expression in the UK can be improved but a law of this kind is not one of them. Instead of promoting expression, the broad remit of this proposed law would have the effect of policing speech at universities, and it should be scrapped.”

The judge ruled against Assange’s release, stating that he had an “incentive to abscond,” and “as a matter of fairness” she needed to give the US government the chance to pursue an appeal, which it has indicated it intends to do.

Extradition proceedings against Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange are set to conclude on 4 January, when a decision is expected. RSF again condemns the targeting of Assange for his contributions to journalism and calls for his immediate release.

“We are alarmed by reports of a rapid increase in Covid infections at Belmarsh prison, resulting in Julian Assange being held in de facto solitary confinement. His physical and mental health history leaves him highly vulnerable, and it is clearly unsafe for him to be detained in these conditions.”