The Committee to Protect Journalists and 12 other international press freedom organizations reiterated their support on Wednesday for journalist Carole Cadwalladr after the U.K. Court of Appeal ruled in a libel lawsuit against her on February 28. Cadwalladr reports for the Guardian newspaper and its Sunday sister paper, the Observer.
Millionaire businessman and political donor Arron Banks sued Cadwalladr for saying that he was lying about his relationship with the Russian state in a TED Talk and a comment posted on Twitter. Yesterday’s judgement upheld an earlier court decision dismissing the claim in respect of the tweet, but ruled that Cadwalladr should pay damages over claims made in the TED Talk.
Today’s statement welcomes the fact that the judge dismissed most of the Banks’ appeal and reiterates that the case is an example of strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP), in which charges are filed to intimidate journalists and suppress public interest reporting.
Read the full statement here.