Lawfare & Journalism Safety Project Launch in International Journalism Festival

Lawfare, the strategic use of legal systems to silence dissident voices, is becoming an increasingly significant challenge to press freedom worldwide. From SLAPPs to broader forms of judicialization of journalism, legal intimidation is shaping the conditions under which journalists work.

At this event, MeLCi Lab member and project PI Lucia Mesquita, together with researchers from universities in Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Australia, will introduce a new collaborative project to build the first global database documenting anti-journalism lawfare. The project aims to create a searchable inventory of legal and administrative actions used to intimidate journalists.

The session will include a short presentation, followed by an open conversation in which participants are invited to share cases, ideas, and experiences.

Join us for a glass of Italian wine 🍷 to mark the beginning of the project and to connect with journalists and scholars interested in journalism safety and press freedom.

Aperitivo | Lawfare Database Reveal
Thursday, 16 April 2026
15:00–16:00
Hotel Priori Secret Garden, Perugia

The event is open to all. 

More information: https://www.journalismfestival.com/programme-side/2026/lawfare-database-reveal 

Image courtesy of the Lawfare & Journalism Safety Project team.