Italian Gas Company Targets Human Rights Defenders with $2M Lawsuit

Italian human rights defenders Roberto Malini and Lisetta Sperindei are facing a defamation lawsuit filed by Fox Petroli S.p.A. for speaking out about environmental risks posed by the company's gas and fuel operations, as well as the potential harm of an planned liquified natural gas (LNG) plant near a residential area in Pesaro.

The lawsuit seeks at least two million euros in damages and appears to be a Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) case. On September 29, 2025, the human rights defenders will attend a mediation session with the company, which is a mandatory preliminary step before legal proceedings commence.

Malini and Sperindei have been advocating against the LNG plant through legal appeals, press statements, and public awareness actions under the PESARO: NO LNG initiative. They also filed an environmental complaint with local and national institutions regarding Fox Petroli's industrial site in Pesaro, citing potential air, soil, and aquifer contamination.