The Skopje Court of Appeal has upheld a defamation ruling against journalists from the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL), including editor-in-chief Saška Cvetkovska, in a case widely described as a SLAPP case. The lawsuit was filed by businessman and former Deputy Prime Minister Kočo Angjušev over IRL’s documentary on the alleged use of heavily polluting oil in public hospitals. An earlier dismissal of the claim was overturned after a retrial in which no new evidence was presented. The court also controversially stated that IRL is not a media outlet and that Cvetkovska is not a journalist, prompting strong concern among press freedom advocates about legal intimidation and restrictions on investigative reporting in the public interest. IRL plans to pursue further appeals. BCSDN is concerned about this development and continues to monitor such cases as part of its work on SLAPPs, and the enabling environment for civil society development. Read more here.
Source: OCCRR
