Slovenian officials weaponize data-privacy laws against investigative journalism |
A growing wave of legal and administrative complaints targeting Slovenia’s investigative newsroom Oštro is raising serious concerns about press freedom, democratic accountability, and the misuse of data-protection laws by public officials. What began as a routine journalistic inquiry into asset transparency has escalated into a coordinated campaign of pressure involving mayors, cabinet ministers, prosecutors, and the country’s data-protection authority-an effort critics warn closely resembles classic SLAPP tactics designed to silence watchdog journalism.
Oštro, a non-profit investigative outlet known for scrutinizing corruption and conflicts of interest, has found itself under attack not because of inaccuracies in its reporting, but because it dared to ask questions. The pressure campaign began in October, when the municipality of Ljutomer filed both a criminal complaint and a data-protection complaint against the newsroom. The trigger was not a published article, but a standard right-of-reply letter sent to Mayor Olga Karba as part of Oštro’s “Asset Detector” project, which aims to promote transparency by verifying the declared assets of public officials.
As is customary in responsible journalism, Oštro contacted Karba to confirm information related to her assets and those of her immediate family before publication. The questions were consistent with the project’s methodology, which has already examined ministers, state secretaries, and members of parliament. Yet Ljutomer officials alleged “unlawful processing of personal data” and the dissemination of false information-claims that press-freedom advocates say stretch data-protection law far beyond its intended purpose.
Despite the preliminary nature of the inquiry, the district state prosecutor in Murska Sobota confirmed that a criminal investigation has been opened. While prosecutors declined to provide details, the mere existence........