Dominic Raab vows to stop oligarchs abusing human rights laws to cover up their corruption

DOMINIC Raab has vowed to stop intimidation tactics used by oligarchs to cover up their corruption.

The Deputy Prime Minister will strengthen human rights laws that allow Russian billionaires to hide shady business affairs.

1

Mr Raab said: “There has never been a better time to take a stand against Russian interference in our own freedom of expression.”

He has launched a consultation to replace the Human Rights Act with a UK Bill of Rights, hoping to stop a backdoor slide towards privacy.

The justice minister said: “Russian oligarchs are trying to intimidate the journalists who expose their corrupt practices and support for Putin.

“Silencing fair criticism is out of the authoritarian playbook and stinks of cowardice.”

Media groups have petitioned the government to make it harder for powerful individuals to thwart reporting.

Mr. Raab plans to combat abuses of the legal system known as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs.

He added: “These Russian cronies use SLAPPs to drag journalists and writers through the courts when they don’t want a story being reported about them.

“A package of measures will address this head-on – including capping reporter costs and raising the threshold for these cases, giving judges the power to throw them out of court more easily.

“People with blood on their hands or dirty money in their pockets can no longer hide in the shadows.”