HRHT’s coordinator, Natia Tavberidze and Human Rights House Foundation’s International Advocacy Officer Nora Wehofsits were the speakers of the panel discussions at the first Georgian anti-SLAPP conference in Tbilisi.
Natia Tavberidze participated in a panel ‘’SLAPP tendencies worldwide and in Georgia”, while Nora Wehofsits spoke on ‘’Anti-SLAPP initiatives: The role of civil society and other actors”.
The Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Georgian Democracy Initiative, hosts the first Georgian anti-SLAPP Conference, aimed at discussing the topics related to the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
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). 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.
Establishment of the Georgian Anti-SLAPP Platform was announced. Human Rights House Tbilisi, together with other organisations, is a member of the platform.
