Women Press Freedom identifikovao je 12 tužbi sa SLAPP karakteristikama u periodu od 2020. until 2024 aimed at female journalists who report on gender issues, and some female journalists are the target of several lawsuits at the same time.
SLAPP lawsuits brought against female journalists reporting on gender issues are a global problem spanning multiple continents and legal systems. One of the most important hotspots where female journalists are located is Turkey.
With various mechanisms and attempts to silence journalists, when SLAPP lawsuits occur, defamation is still the most common charge, widely used to target journalists around the world. There is variability in court outcomes for SLAPP cases, with some courts upholding freedom of the press and others imposing penalties.
Despite the highest number of cases recorded in 2021. year, the number of incidents is still huge, which indicates the ongoing systemic efforts to stop the reporting of these journalists and lead to self-censorship.
Many cases remain unresolved, indicating continued legal harassment and continued pressure. By government pressure is meant that legal actions often come from government authorities or influential individuals within the government or related institutions. Journalists reporting from feminist events, women’s marches or other events are often under police investigation for “participating in illegal gatherings”, “spreading misinformation” or “violating religious sentiments”.
Journalists, especially in Turkey, are often detained during or after reporting on feminist events, and their equipment is often destroyed.
