THIRD EVENT
Webinar – France in the face of SLAPPs: A debate on the decriminalisation of defamation in light of comparative practices
The third event provided a forum for discussion to weigh the arguments for and against the decriminalisation of defamation, taking into account the French legal and historical context as well as lessons learned from experiences abroad. The issue goes beyond mere legislative technique: it is a question of determining whether such a reform would effectively strengthen freedom of information and democratic participation, or whether it would, on the contrary, risk opening the door to new strategies of judicial intimidation. The fundamental question remains whether the 1881 law, designed to respond to the challenges of the 19th century, is still relevant for protecting freedom of expression in the 21st century, or whether it needs to be rethought to address the current realities of SLAPPs.
Format
The webinar, lasting two hours, took the form of an interactive discussion (1.5 hours) between French and international experts (academics, lawyers, journalists, civil society representatives), followed by an open exchange with participants (30 minutes).
This event is part of the second cycle of the Building for the Future Initiative, coordinated by On Think Tanks (OTT) and supported by the Open Society Foundations, to amplify student and youth-led think tank initiatives, diverse perspectives and advance innovative policy solutions across Europe and beyond, and encourage the exchange of good practices among regions.
