The anti-SLAPP proposed directive and the anti-SLAPP Recommendations adopted by the EC in April 2022 signal an increased awareness of the need for effective policy and practical tools to counter vexatious lawsuits against public participation. By exploring existing challenges and viable approaches to counter gag lawsuits, the panel tried to identify effective models to strengthen resilience and foster cooperation among relevant actors, such as journalists, activists and legal practitioners.
Vesna Alaburić graduated from the Faculty of Political Science of the University in Zagreb and from the Faculty of Law of the same University. Since 1995 she has been working at her own law firm. She is specialized human rights - in particular freedom of expression -, criminal law, international criminal law, civil litigation, constitutional law, mediation, arbitration, legal writing. She has published published books, scientific and professional papers and media articles on various human rights and constitutional issues, as well as on various topics of criminal and civil legislation and jurisprudence.
Sielke Kelner holds a PhD in International History from the Geneva Graduate Institute. She completed her postdoc at Leiden University. Having worked on Romania´s migration diplomacy during the Cold War and the role of local and international civil society in influencing the collapse of the Communist regime, her research interests include Central and Eastern Europe, and the role of transnational actors in promoting democratic processes and human rights. She cultivates a passion for public policy as well and was a Blue Book Trainee at the EU Commission in 2019. Since 2022, she has been an OBCT researcher and advocacy officer focusing on the Media Freedom Rapid Response mechanism.
Sara Manisera, journalist, author and independent documentary filmmaker, has worked extensively in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, North Africa and Italy, covering environmental conflicts, gender issues, rights and food supply chains. Her reportages and investigations have been published by Al Jazeera, Libèration, El Pais, The Guardian, Irpi Media, among others. She is currently a fellow of the Bertha Foundation, for which he covers the global wheat supply chain. She is the author of 'Tales of Slavery and Struggle in the Countryside' and co-directed the documentaries 'The Land Holds Me' (Fada, 2022) and 'Iraq: Youth on the Frontline' (Arte, 2019). She combines journalism and public participation through local events, debates and festivals organised with FADA, a collective of journalists, photographers and authors of which she is a co-founder.
Roberta Taveri works at ARTICLE 19 Europe as Senior Media Freedom/Europe Program Officer, where she is responsible for the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) project and monitors the geographical area that includes Italy, Spain and the Western Balkans, in addition to the thematic area of media freedom. Through her work for ARTICLE 19 Europe, Roberta is part of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and various CASE national working groups, including the Italy working group. Roberta has previously worked with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in East Africa and with regional and state organizations in Europe, and covered various roles within civil society. She studied philosophy at the University of Bologna and the University of Edinburgh and obtained a Master's degree in international law at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
Jelena Vasic is a project manager at KRIK and investigative reporter who has worked with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). From 2012 to April 2015 she was a member of journalistic team of the Center for Investigative Reporting in Serbia (CINS). She graduated at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade. As part of the KRIK investigative team she won Data Journalism Award in 2017. Jelena has won national annual award for investigative journalism in the category of online media for 2013.
Emina Veljović, law graduate, and M.A. with the specialization in: Environmental Law and Environmental Policies of BiH, acquired at the International University in Sarajevo and Bachelor of law degree, acquired from the American University in BiH (double degree program) in 2013. She currently holds the position of Executive Director of the Association "Resporce Aarhus Center in BiH." As part of her work at the Aarhus Center in BiH, she worked on the creation of the Law on Citizen Initiative and Protection of Citizens and Activists of FBiH, within which she created ANTI-SLAPP provisions on her personal initiative, the first of its kind for the legal system of BiH and beyond. In addition, during her work, she worked on the analysis of the impact of SLAPP on the activists with whom she collaborated in BiH in order to provide free legal assistance during the creation of legal and advocacy resistance.
