Blueprint for Free Speech Inc.Registered

Blueprint for Free Speech continued its work this year by providing public education, outreach, and research on key issues related to freedom of expression. Focus areas included the significance of whistleblower protection, the rising threat of Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) cases, and the need for robust anticorruption measures. The issue of corruption reporting has become increasingly important, as researchers and NGOs face retaliation for exposing corruption to the public. SLAPP is a highly specialised and emerging legal tactic aimed at silencing critics, often through frivolous lawsuits designed to intimidate and discourage public debate rather than to seek justice. The global rise in SLAPP cases presents a growing threat to free expression and public accountability. Blueprint led a major twoyear, 11country project in collaboration with civil society organisations. This project resulted in a free public curriculum hub documenting SLAPP cases and providing training for more than 360 legal professionals across 11 countries. The participants included human rights lawyers, often focusing on environmental cases, lawyers working with/for independent media and NGOs; representatives of bar associations and associations of lawyers; state attorneys, lawyers from public institutions, and national human rights commissions, academics, government representatives and judges. Survey responses indicated that 98% of participants gained a new understanding of the issue and planned to apply their learnings in their professional work. The project also involved a comprehensive investigation into SLAPP cases, gathering data and analysing legal protections. This research helped identify trends, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, shaping both the curriculum and antiSLAPP legal networks in participating countries. All resources, including the curriculum materials, are freely available online to support broader efforts to counter SLAPPs. Prior to this project, no dedicated educational resources existed for training lawyers in SLAPP issues. Therefore, the consortium focused on both content creation and the development of a scalable curriculum model. All materials were designed with the support of the experienced practitioners with a thorough understanding of the local context, and expertise in law. Many volunteered their time for this project. In addition to addressing SLAPPs, Blueprint supported the use of opensource technologies to enhance digital privacy and freedom of expression in censored environments. This included providing free cybersecurity training to journalists, researchers, and civil society organisations, as well as refurbishing and securing secondhand laptops for grassroots reporters. These devices, along with handson training, empowered journalists working in underresourced areas to report safely and securely, reducing the chilling effect of surveillance on free speech.