Members of the Saeima today adopted, in the third reading, amendments to the Law on the Protection of Persons Involved in the Public Interest, along with related amendments to the Civil Procedure Law, aimed at strengthening protection against strategic lawsuits.
The changes will reinforce freedom of speech and the public’s right to receive comprehensive and high-quality information by ensuring greater independence for journalists, editorial teams, civil activists, and researchers. They are intended to protect against abusive litigation and reduce the risk of self-censorship.
The amendments implement a directive of the European Parliament and the Council into Latvia’s legal system, introducing protection mechanisms for individuals who express opinions or disseminate information in the public interest and who face manifestly unfounded or abusive civil claims.
The changes clearly define what constitutes acting in the public interest and protecting public interest, as well as establish criteria for identifying lawsuits filed with malicious intent.
The amendments also introduce procedural safeguards for individuals targeted by such litigation,
including the possibility for courts to dismiss cases, require claimants to cover the defendant’s legal costs, impose fines, and ensure protection even if strategic lawsuits are initiated outside the European Union.
At the same time, the draft laws do not restrict individuals’ rights to go to court, do not prohibit claims for defamation, and do not grant immunity from civil liability. Protection mechanisms will not apply in cases where disinformation or knowingly false information is spread under the guise of public interest. Decisions on applying protective measures will be made by courts on a case-by-case basis.
The Ministry of Justice of Latvia states that the new regulation is aimed at protecting democratic values, freedom of speech, and public debate, rather than introducing censorship.
Justice Minister Inese Lībiņa-Egnere emphasized that
strategic lawsuits are increasingly used to exert financial and psychological pressure on journalists,
civil activists, researchers, and others, encouraging self-censorship and threatening freedom of expression. Currently, courts lack effective tools to identify and prevent such claims at an early stage.
Therefore, the aim of the legislation is to protect individuals acting in the public interest from abusive legal pressure. The changes are intended to strengthen democracy at a time when populist forces seek to discredit the work of the media and undermine public trust. The minister stressed that without strong and independent media, freedom of speech and the public’s ability to hold politicians accountable would not be possible.
The directive must be transposed 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 noted that the directive imposes a mandatory obligation on member states to introduce effective mechanisms to protect individuals acting in the public interest from clearly unfounded or abusive attacks. The directive aims to prevent situations where litigation is used not to protect rights, but as a tool of financial, psychological, or reputational pressure, effectively restricting freedom of speech and the public’s right to information.
The Latvian Civic Alliance emphasized that an active civil society is not only a key pillar of democracy but also part of a comprehensive national security system, contributing to a strong, cohesive, and resilient society. It also plays an important role in building trust within society and in state institutions. Therefore, it is essential that civil society activists are protected from strategic lawsuits aimed at influencing their activities and are provided with adequate support to respond to such legal actions.
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