WikkiTimes Publisher Haruna Mohammed Speaks on Combating SLAPPs at Malaysia Global Investigative Journalism Conference
Haruna Mohammed Salisu, the Publisher of WikkiTimes, has been confirmed as a speaker at the upcoming Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The conference is one of the world’s largest gatherings dedicated to strengthening investigative reporting and defending press freedom, bringing together over 1,500 journalists from more than 100 countries.
Mr. Mohammed will contribute his expertise to a high-profile panel titled “Privacy vs. Accountability: Countering Regulations that Affect Investigative Journalists.” The session will explore how reporters worldwide navigate tightening privacy laws, data-protection rules, and legal intimidation that threaten press freedom.
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Mr. Mohammed is the founder of WikkiTimes, a Nigerian digital newsroom amplifying local voices across northern Nigeria. The platform’s commitment to watchdog journalism has exposed it to a sustained campaign of harassment and legal intimidation, including physical intimidation, threats to journalists’ families, and multi-billion-naira defamation suits. The organization has faced at least nine Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) since 2020. In one instance, the newsroom’s website suffered over 400 coordinated cyber-attacks within 48 hours of publishing a high-profile story.
Under Mr. Mohammed’s leadership, WikkiTimes recently became the first Nigerian media outlet to join Reporters Shield, a global legal-protection mechanism designed to safeguard investigative journalists from vexatious lawsuits.
Mr. Mohammed, who is currently a graduate student at Indiana University, USA, will join a panel that includes:
* Léna Perczel, Legal Officer at the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ).
* María Teresa Ronderos, Director of the Latin American Centre for Investigative Journalism (CLIP).
* Pádraig Hughes, Legal Director at Media Defence.
* Rahma Behi, a multilingual investigative journalist and digital strategist.
The session will be moderated by Christopher Acosta, Director of the Latin American Conference on Investigative Journalism (COLPIN).
By PRNigeria
