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Dear OCCRP Reader:

Journalists and media outlets in OCCRP’s global network are battling a record 41 lawsuits filed by the subjects of their investigations.

That’s not a mistake. Our network is facing 41 lawsuits.

These “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” known as SLAPPs, are a legal bullying tactic meant to silence, intimidate, and financially burden journalists.

Journalists at Investigative Reporting Lab Macedonia are currently battling eight SLAPPs.
(Photo: Portrait Magazine, North Macedonia)

Getting sued is a debilitating process that is a David-and-Goliath scenario for most journalists. The wealthy, powerful, and corrupt have endless pots of money, amounts of time, and access to lawyers specifically trained in targeting journalists to try to cripple and stifle them.

OCCRP partner journalists, on the other hand, are typically from small, scrappy nonprofit outlets who have limited resources and must take valuable time away from their work to focus on their defense, while paying for expensive attorneys and court costs.

OCCRP is fighting back by creating an in-house legal defense fund that will help our network mount a vigorous response to these baseless suits.

Will you donate to the “OCCRP SLAPPS Back Fund” and help us support the journalists in our network? ([link removed])
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Journalists must have enough resources to battle SLAPPs so they can’t get sued out of business or be forced to censor content.

We need your support. Thank you and we’ll keep fighting,
Drew Sullivan
Publisher

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