"Journalistic organizations in Latin America denounced this week before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) the advance of 'judicial harassment' (SLAPPS) against journalists as a new form of censorship and the creation of fear in the press.
In an unprecedented session chaired by Commissioner Esmeralda Arosemana de Troitiño, the entities presented concrete cases of SLAPPS and demanded measures against this new form of pressure from governments, private companies or public figures, in addition to trials for libel and slander or lawsuits against the honor of individuals in cases of public interest.
The lawsuits are now also for alleged money laundering, espionage or extortion, accompanied by smear campaigns against journalists in the media and networks, and threats of all kinds."
