Situation of fundamental rights in the EU in 2022 and 2023

Adopted.

Part voted on: “calls on the Member States to implement the Commission Recommendation on protecting journalists and human rights defenders that engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings, and specifically to remove prison sentences for defamation cases, decriminalise defamation and favour civil or administrative procedures instead; urges the Commission to address the seriousness of SLAPPs brought through criminal proceedings by presenting a proposal for measures to ensure that defamation, libel and slander, which constitute criminal offences in most Member States, cannot be used for SLAPPs through public or private prosecution; stresses that SLAPPs are only one method used to silence journalists and calls on the Commission to further investigate other practices and to intervene; calls on politicians to publicly condemn threats and attacks against journalists;”

This vote was not taken by roll call, so no member’s position is recorded.