We call on the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to reject the amendment that undermines the effectiveness of the anti-SLAPP reform

The Independent Journalism Center, together with the co-signing non-governmental organizations, expresses concern regarding the amendment submitted on September 21 by MP Artemie Cătănoi, a representative of the Action and Solidarity Party (ASP), to the draft law on combating abusive legal proceedings against public mobilization (anti-SLAPP).

The amendment proposes changes that would undermine the reform’s effectiveness by eliminating the requirement for urgent review of requests for protection under the anti-SLAPP mechanism and by withdrawing the repeal of Article 70 of the Contravention Code, which penalizes defamation. In addition, the lawmaker proposes postponing the law’s entry into force from May 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028. As a result, journalists, activists, and others involved in debates of public interest would benefit eight months later from the safeguards intended to protect them against judicial intimidation.

We recall that, in their July 30, 2026, statement, media nongovernmental organizations warned of the risk that the bill’s essential safeguards would be watered down before its adoption in the second reading. The registered amendment confirms the validity of these concerns. The fact that the proposals come from a representative of the parliamentary majority requires the majority to take a clear stance in support of an effective reform.

We emphasize that the expedited review of requests for protection is essential to the effectiveness of the anti-SLAPP mechanism. Prolonging an abusive proceeding increases the pressure on the targeted individual, including through the costs of defense and the uncertainty inherent in litigation. We acknowledge the difficulties caused by the courts’ heavy caseload and staff shortages. However, these problems require administrative solutions and adequate resources and do not justify reducing protection against the abusive use of the justice system against journalists.

We reiterate that retaining Article 70 on defamation would keep in place a tool for exerting pressure on the press, to which the civil procedural safeguards introduced by the anti-SLAPP reform— —do not apply. Media organizations have previously reported cases in which misdemeanor complaints were used to intimidate journalists. The protection offered by the reform would remain incomplete as long as such pressure can be exerted through administrative proceedings.

Postponing the law’s entry into force until January 1, 2028, would extend by eight months the period during which individuals subject to abusive proceedings do not benefit from the new safeguards. We support the need to train judges, develop practical guidelines, and prepare institutions for the law’s implementation. However, the amendment does not present a concrete timeline for the necessary measures and does not explain why they cannot be implemented by May 1, 2027. Preparations must be carried out based on a plan with clearly defined responsibilities, deadlines, and resources.

Under these circumstances, we call on the members of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to reject all three proposals contained in the amendment and to commit to adopting a coherent anti-SLAPP reform.

The Independent Journalism Center

Organizations that have joined the statement:

• Center for Policies and Reforms (CPR Moldova)
• Promo-LEX Association
• RISE Moldova
• Legal Resource Center from Moldova
• Media-Guard Association
• Center for Investigative Journalism
• Amnesty International Moldova
• Association of Independent Press
• Acces-info Center