North Macedonia Appeal Court Upholds Defamation Verdict Against Investigative Reporting Lab

On March 6, 2026, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) reported that the Court of Appeal in Skopje upheld a defamation verdict against the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL) and its editor-in-chief, Sa61ka Cvetkovska. This decision has raised significant concerns regarding media freedom in North Macedonia.

The defamation lawsuit was initiated in 2021 by Koed Angju61ev, a prominent businessman and former Deputy Prime Minister. The case stemmed from a documentary produced by IRL in collaboration with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which was aired on the public broadcaster, Macedonian Radio Television.

Initially, the lawsuit was dismissed in 2021. However, upon appeal, the Court of Appeal annulled the dismissal in May 2022, leading to a retrial. In October 2023, despite no new evidence being presented, the Basic Civil Court ruled against IRL, ordering them to pay symbolic damages and legal costs. The recent appellate decision has now confirmed this ruling.

Media freedom organizations, including the EFJ and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), have expressed alarm over the implications of this verdict. They argue that the lawsuit bears characteristics of a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), intended to suppress legitimate investigative journalism. The EFJ has called for the ruling to be overturned on further appeal and urged North Macedonian authorities to implement legal safeguards against such vexatious litigation.

This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in North Macedonia, highlighting the need for robust protections to ensure freedom of expression and the press.