The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Feb. 13, edition that when First Quantum Minerals filed a lawsuit against a small African human-rights group, Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), the miner said it was merely seeking to get errors corrected. The Globe's Geoffrey York and Tavia Grant write that SARW calls the suit an attempt to bully and silence it. The First Quantum suit is categorized as "strategic lawsuits against public participation," or SLAPPs. First Quantum filed suit against SARW in 2021 after it issued a report suggesting that one of its Zambia mines had damaged the environment and local communities. First Quantum complained of inaccuracies and demanded an apology and the equivalent of $82,000 in damages. The miner said the lawsuit was settled by mutual consent in 2023 and that it considered the issue closed. Mary Lawlor and Damilola Olawuyi, who serve as independent experts to monitor human rights for the UN, have expressed "deep concern regarding the alleged acts of intimidation and criminalization of human-rights defenders." The UN rapporteurs wrote to First Quantum in October, seeking a response to their concerns about the case. The rapporteurs await a response.