The Saeima’s Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday supported, at first reading in parliament, amendments to the Law on the Protection of Persons Involved in the Public Interest, as well as related amendments to the Civil Procedure Law, aimed at strengthening protection against strategic lawsuits.
The changes are expected to reinforce freedom of expression and the public’s right to receive comprehensive and high-quality information by ensuring greater independence for journalists, editorial teams, civic activists, and researchers, protecting them from abusive litigation and reducing the risk of self-censorship.
The draft laws provide for the transposition of a European Parliament and Council directive into Latvia’s legal system, introducing protection mechanisms for individuals who, in the public interest, express opinions or disseminate information of public importance and against whom manifestly unfounded or abusive civil claims are brought.
The proposals envisage clearly defining what constitutes action in the public interest and for the protection of the public interest, as well as setting out criteria for identifying claims brought with malicious intent.
They also provide the introduction of procedural safeguards for persons targeted by such litigation,
including the possibility for courts to terminate proceedings, require claimants to cover defendants’ legal costs, impose fines, and ensure protection even in cases where a strategic lawsuit has been initiated outside the European Union.
At the same time, the draft laws do not restrict individuals’ right to seek justice, do not prohibit claims for defamation or damage to honor and dignity, and do not grant immunity from civil liability. Protection mechanisms will not apply in cases where disinformation or deliberately false information is disseminated under the guise of the public interest. Decisions on the application of protective measures in each specific case will be taken by the court, based on an individual assessment of the circumstances.
The Ministry of Justice maintains that the new regulation is aimed at protecting democratic values, freedom of expression, and public debate, rather than introducing censorship.
Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (New Unity) emphasizes that
strategic lawsuits are increasingly being used to exert financial and psychological pressure on journalists,
civic activists, researchers, and others, encouraging self-censorship and threatening freedom of expression, while courts currently lack effective tools to identify and stop such claims at an early stage.
Therefore, the purpose of the draft laws is to protect people acting in the public interest from abusive litigation pressure. The changes will strengthen democracy at a time when populists deliberately seek to discredit the work of the media and undermine public trust in them. Without strong and independent media, freedom of expression and the public’s right to hold politicians accountable for their decisions are impossible, the minister stresses.
EU member states must transpose the directive into national law by the 7th of May, 2026.
In a letter to the Saeima’s Legal Affairs Committee, representatives of the Latvian Civic Alliance note that the directive imposes a mandatory obligation on member states to introduce effective mechanisms to protect persons acting in the public interest from manifestly unfounded or abusive attacks. The directive’s aim is to prevent situations in which litigation is used not to protect rights, but as an instrument of financial, psychological, or reputational pressure that effectively restricts freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.
The Latvian Civic Alliance emphasizes that an active civil society is not only a crucial pillar of democracy but also part of a comprehensive national defense system that fosters a strong, cohesive, and resilient society, while playing a significant role in building trust within society and in state institutions. Consequently, it is essential that civic activists are protected from strategic lawsuits aimed at influencing their activities and receive appropriate support to respond to such litigation.
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