PHILIPPINES-THAILANDINDONESIA EXPLORATION: Recontextualizing Anti-SLAPP in Protecting Access to Ecological Justice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15294/pandecta.v20i2.29495Keywords:
Anti-SLAPP, Access to justice, Comparation Law, Ecological JusticeAbstract
This study examines the strategic challenges faced by environmental rights defenders in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, including the abuse of the law through the practice of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) used by corporations or authorities to silence public criticism of environmental damage. Although all three countries have legal instruments for protection, their implementation is still limited and does not comprehensively cover aspects of procedural law. This study uses a normative legal approach with a comparative legal method to analyze the form of anti-SLAPP legal protection and its potential integration into the criminal procedural system. The results show that Indonesia and the Philippines still limit legal protection to environmental issues, while Thailand has more advanced normative provisions but has not been effective in preventing SLAPPs at the early stages of the legal process. A legal mechanism is needed that allows for the termination of SLAPP cases at the investigation or prosecution stage through clear legal indicators and strengthening prosecutorial discretion based on the principle of public interest. The novelty of this study lies in the proposed integration of Anti-SLAPP principles into criminal procedural law as a preventive measure against the criminalization of environmental activists and as a recognition of ecological justice, where protection of public participation and freedom of expression is an integral part of social justice in the context of environmental protection.
References
Aktivisual, “Strengthening Environmental Protection Rules”, https://aktivisual.org/infographics/penguatan-aturan-anti-slapp/#_ftn2 ., accessed on August 13, 2021.
Article 28H paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia .
CNN Indonesia, "Jokowi's Walhi Demonstration Regarding the Criminalization of Environmental Activists", https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20181211132215-20-352736/walhi-demo-jokowi-soal-kriminulasi-pejuang-lingkungan , accessed on August 13, 2021.
Constitution of the Philippines.
Council of Europe, Freedom Expression and SLAPP (2021), p . 14.
David R. Boyd, The Environmental Rights Revolution : A Global Study of Constitution , Human Rights , and the Environment (UBC Press, 2012), p . 87.
Earth Island Institute Philippines, "Earth Island Philippines Fights Back" Related SLAPP Lawsuits Anti- Captivity Campaign ," savedolphins.eii.org
Fitra Moerat Ramadhan, “List of Activists and Journalists Involved in the ITE Law,” Tempo, https://grafis.tempo.co/read/2549/daftar-aktivis-jurnalis-yang-terseret-uu-ite . , accessed August 13 , 2021.
Freedom House report, https://freedomhouse.org/country/indonesia/freedom-world/2020 ., accessed on August 13, 2021.
George W. Pring & Penelope Canan, SLAPPs: Sued Because Speak (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996), p . 8.
George W. Pring and Penelope Canan, SLAPP. Sued for speaking out, pages 10-11
George W. Pring, SLAPPs: Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, 7 Pace Envtl. L. Rev. 3 (1989) Available at: http://digitalcommons.pace.edu/pelr/vol7/iss1/11, page 8
Hans Nicholas Jong , Family seeks justice as probe into Indonesian activist's death stalls , Mongabay, accessed October 4, 2022. https://news.mongabay.com/2020/02/indonesia-golfrid-siregar-nshe-medan-hydropower-batang-toru-walhi/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Hans Nicholas Jong. The acquittal of Indonesian villagers protesting pollution marks a rare victory against a SLAPP. August 2, 2021. https://news.mongabay.com/2021/08/acquittal-of-indonesian-villagers-protesting-pollution-marks-rare-win-against-slapp-bangka-asindo-agri/ [accessed December 18, 2022].
Human Rights Council Union Nations , Resolution on Human Rights Humans and the Environment Life , A/HRC/RES/48/13, 2021.
Human Rights Lawyers Association. Report on Recommendations on the Protection of Users' Rights and Freedoms to Participate in Public Issues from Litigation. Page 10. https://naksit.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190811-pdf.pdf [accessed February 10, 2022].
Human Rights Watch, Thailand: Cancel Indictment to Defender Human Rights , 6 April 2023. https://www.hrw.org
Human Rights Watch, Thailand: Human Rights Defenders Man Become Target Constitution Defamation , March 2022. https://www.hrw.org
Human Rights Watch. (2023, April 6). Thailand: Withdraw Indictment to Human Rights Defender Man . Accessed from https://www.hrw.org/id/news/2023/04/06/thailand-drop-charges-against-rights-defenders
Hotchkiss, et al. vs. Honorable Ridgway Tanjili, CA-GR SP NO. 05386-MIN; related interview is on file.
ICEL, "Law Enforcement to Prevent Criminalization of Environmental Activists", https://icel.or.id/berita/penegak-hukum-agar-mencegah-kriminalalisasi-pejuang-lingkungan/ ., accessed on August 13, 2021.
Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL), Law Enforcement to Prevent Criminalization of Environmental Activists (Jakarta: ICEL, 2019), accessed August 13, 2021, https://icel.or.id/berita/penegak-hukum-agar-mencegah-kriminalalisasi-pejuang-lingkungan
International Commission of Jurists. Letter to the Minister of Justice and the Director General of the RLPD entitled “Concerns about the existing legal framework designed to prevent strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP suits)” dated March 20, 2020. https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Thailand-SLAPP-Lawsuits-Letter-2020-ENG.pdf [accessed May 9, 2023].
Ivany Atina Arbi, Police arrest customary leader in Central Kalimantan over land dispute, The Jakarta Post, Accessed on October 1, 2025 at https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/08/27/police-arrest-customary-leader-in-central-kalimantan-over-land-dispute.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Jimly Asshiddiqie, Constitutional Law and the Pillars of Democracy, Fragments of Thought on Law, Media, and Human Rights, ed. Zainal AM Husein (Jakarta: Constitution Press, 2005), p. 241.
Kompas, “Unprotected Environmental Defenders”, https://www.kompas.id/baca/ilmu-pengetahuan-teknologi/2021/01/11/pembela-lingkungan-hidup-yang-tak-terlindungi ., accessed on August 13, 2021
Kompas. (June 16, 2020). Decision for Maria Ressa, Threats for Freedom of the Press in the Philippines . Accessed from https://www.kompas.id/baca/internasional/2020/06/16/vonis-bagi-maria-ressa-ancaman-bagi-kebebasan-pers-di-filipina
Laode M. Syarif, Andri G. Wibisana, & Maskun, Environmental Law: Theory, Legislation, and Case Studies (Jakarta: Rajawali Pers, 2012), pp. 65–66.
Lawrence Friedman, American Law: An Introduction (New York, London: WW Norton & Company, 1984), pp. 5-7.
Law on Environmental Protection and Management of 2009 "Anyone who fights for the right to a good and healthy environment cannot be prosecuted criminally or sued civilly"
Lusia Arumingtyas and Nuswantoro , Wadas Village Case, Expert: Development Methods Prone to Harm the People, Mongabay, accessed on March 15, 2025 at https://mongabay.co.id/2022/02/12/kasus-desa-wadas-pakar-cara-pembangunan-rawan-rugikan-rakyat/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Mancini, L., & Sala, S. (2018). Social impact assessment in the mining sector: Review and comparison of indicators frameworks. Resources Policy, 57, 98-111.
Penelope Canan & George W. Pring, SLAPPs: Sued Because Speak (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996), p . 12.
Penelope Canan & George W. Pring, SLAPPs: Sued Because Speak (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996), p . 12.
Penelope Canan & George W. Pring, SLAPPs: Getting Sued for Speaking Out (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996), p. 8–12.
Penelope Canan, “SLAPP from Perspective Sociology ,” Pace Environmental Law Review 7, no. 1 (1989): 23.
Philippe Sands, Principles of International Environmental Law , 4th edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018), p . 199.
Pradipta Pandu, "Indonesia Needs to Emulate Other Countries' Anti-SLAPP Rules," Kompas, https://www.kompas.id/read/ilmu-knowledge-technology/2021/04/23/indonesia-perlu-mencontoh-aturan-anti-slapp-dari-negara-lain , accessed August 13, 2021.
Pradipta Pandu, “Indonesia Needs to Follow Other Countries’ Anti-SLAPP Rules,” Kompas.id (April 23, 2021), accessed August 13, 2021, https://www.kompas.id/read/ilmu-knowledge-technology/2021/04/23/indonesia-perlu-mencontoh-aturan-anti-slapp-dari-negara-lain
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, UN Document A/HRC/25/55, 23 December 2013, paragraph 59.
Reporter Special Union Nations about Freedom Expressing , Reporting about SLAPPs and their Impact against Human Rights Man (2021), p . 14.
Reporter Special Union Nations about Freedom Expressing , Reporting about SLAPP and its Impact against Human Rights Man (2021), p . 18.
Richard A. Posner, Economic Analysis of Law , 8th ed . (New York: Aspen Publishers, 2011), p . 145.
Richard A. Posner, Economic Analysis of Law , 8th ed . (New York: Aspen Publishers, 2011), p . 148.
Sharif , Laode M., Wibisana , Andri G., & Maskun . (2012). Environmental Law: Theory, Legislation , and Case Studies . Jakarta: Rajawali Pers. Pages 65-66.
Supreme Court / District Court Decision — the Supreme Court Decision Directory site stated that Haris Azhar was not proven guilty based on the East Jakarta District Court Decision number 202/Pid.Sus/2023.
Tina Nabatchi, and Matt Leighninger, M, Public Participation for 21st Century Democracy (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2015), accessed 13, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central., p. 4.
Tirto.id, “The Abundance of 'Hammer and Sickle' Cases Against Budi Pego”, https://tirto.id/kejanggalan-kasus-palu-arit-terhadap-budi-pego-dbLM ., accessed on August 13, 2021.
Ubaidillah Kamal, Ali Masyhar, Muhammad Adymas Hikal, Rayi Kharisma, dan Siti Hafsyah Idris, “The Urgency of Anti-SLAPP Regulatory Renewal in Indonesian Environmental Law,” Pandecta Research Law Journal 19, no. 1 (2024): 265–288,https://doi.org/10.15294/pandecta.vol19i1.7237
United Nations Economic Commission Nations For Europe (UNECE), Aarhus Convention : Implementation Guide (2014), p . 35.
Union Nations , Stockholm Declaration on Human Environment , 1972, Principle 1.
World Justice Project , SLAPP and Its Impact on Freedom of Speech (Washington DC: WJP, 2020), p. 5–7. efair
World Justice Project, SLAPPs and Their Impact to Freedom Speak (2020), p . 5.
World Justice Project, SLAPPs and Their Impact to Freedom Speak (2020), p . 7.
World Justice Project, SLAPPs and Their Impact to Freedom Speak (2020), p . 7
Downloads
Published
Article ID
29495Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Erwin Syahruddin, Andre Cardenas Jr., Akbar Sarif, Rahmat Saputra (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0) is an open-access license that facilitates the sharing and adaptation of creative works while ensuring proper attribution and preserving the same freedoms for derivative works. This license is designed to be user-friendly and applicable globally, making it a popular choice for a wide range of content, from academic articles to creative arts.
At its core, the Attribution component of the CC BY-SA 4.0 license requires users to give appropriate credit to the original creator of the work. This includes providing a clear citation, linking to the license, and indicating any modifications made. The attribution must be done in a way that does not imply endorsement by the creator of the new use or its creator. This ensures that the original authors are acknowledged for their contributions while allowing their work to be freely used and disseminated.
The ShareAlike aspect of the license mandates that any derivative works or adaptations created from the original must be licensed under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 terms. This means that new works based on the original content must also be freely available and shareable under the same conditions. This provision helps to promote a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, as it ensures that all adaptations remain accessible to the public and contribute to the collective pool of knowledge and creativity.
