Authored by Demet Altunay
In every democratic society, journalists are expected to freely and honestly convey information in the public interest, without fear of being silenced by the threat of lengthy retaliatory trial proceedings. In a society where this cannot be guaranteed, the existence of democracy and freedom of expression should be questioned. The failure to guarantee such freedoms lends itself more closely to authoritarianism than a free democratic society. Therefore, it may be considered the job of the law to protect journalistic independence, and not allow powerful individuals and organizations to harm journalists through economic and psychological threats. Contextualized against the case of Carole Cadwalladr, this blog outlines the increasing need for effective antiSLAPP regulations to support the rights of journalists to report independently and in the public interest. Further, it demonstrates lawsuit of this nature cannot be interpreted just as an action against only the targeted journalists, but also it sends a powerful message to others, enabling the silencing of those who report wrongdoing, and giving powerful and wealthy actors the power to act freely without reprisal.
The full article has been published by our partner "Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics Blog" and is accessible at the following link: https://corporatesocialresponsibilityblog.com/2022/03/31/the-business-of-silencing-journalists/
