Second PATFox lecture held in Cyprus
Theodoros Economou
On the 8th of November 2023, Cyprus University of Technology joined forces with the Cyprus Bar Association, the student law society of Cyprus University and the Citizens Forum advocating for Freedom of Speech for Journalists. At the lecture welcoming addressing were given by Professor Synodinou who is a Vice Rector at the University of Cyprus and a Law Professor, Mr Vorkas the Chair of the Cyprus Bar Association, Mrs Skitsa who is the Student Law Society Chair, Professor Maria Kapardis (partner of Patfox) and Mr Pierides from the Cyprus Citizens Forum and a representative of the European Union of Journalists. The three main speakers were:
Associate Professor Aristotelis Konstandinides from the Law Department of Cyprus University who spoke on Legal Cases against Journalists
Assistant Professor Alina Tryfonidou also from the Law Department of Cyprus University who spoke on Freedom of Speech and cases in the European Court and
Mr Theodoros Economou, the Cyprus Trainer on SLAPP who discussed the proposed European Directive on SLAPP and its implementation in the Cypriot courts.
At the end of the lecture there was a lot of discussion on the fact that there is no investigative journalism in Cyprus and that journalists in Cyprus believe there is no real freedom of speech. The Chair of the Cyprus Bar Association congratulated the partners of Patfox for their initiative to train lawyers and final year law students on the Proposed European Directive on SLAPP and in making every effort to ensure the local lawyers and law students are well aware of the proposed Directive.
This was the final event organized for the needs of Patfox and the local partner felt that since the lawyers had the opportunity to become well versed with the proposed directive it was time that the journalists were also given the opportunity to be provided with the opportunity to know what the SLAPP Directive provides.
It is also worth noting that on the invitation that went to all the members of the Cyprus Bar Association and all the Law Students of Cyprus University the link for the curriculum https://www.antislapp.eu/curriculum-hub was cited. The local partner felt that this was the best way to ensure that lawyers who could not attend could also be given the opportunity to visit the Patfox website and the curriculum.