Middle East Eye defeats libel claim brought by prominent Palestinian and UAE “fixer”
Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian politician and former head of the secret police in Gaza, has abandoned his long-running libel claim in the High Court in London against Middle East Eye (a prominent London-based news organisation covering events in the Middle East) and its editor-in-chief, David Hearst.
Read the Press Release here.
Middle East Eye and David Hearst were advised by Adam Tudor and Aidan Shipman of Carter-Ruck.
Interpal Trustees secure full apology and £50,000 in libel damages from Jewish Chronicle
The Jewish Chronicle has paid £50,000 in damages and published a full apology to the Trustees of Interpal, a UK-registered charity that provides relief and development aid to Palestinians in need, over the newspaper's publication of false and defamatory allegations in March 2019.
Interpal and it Trustees are advised by Adam Tudor and Helena Shipman of Carter-Ruck
Apology from Jewish Chronicle
Press release from Interpal
Article in the Jewish Chronicle by Ibrahim Hewitt, Chair of the Trustees of Interpal
Article in the Press Gazette
Pakistan Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif issues complaint after “politically motivated” Mail attack
Shehbaz Sharif, President of the PML-N party, Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan and former Chief Minister of Punjab, has issued a formal legal complaint against the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, and its journalist David Rose, about an article published on Sunday, 14 July 2019.
Read the Press Release.
Nasser Al Khelaifi – Media Attacks Based On Forged Document
A press release concerning the failure of The Guardian, Der Spiegel and Mediapart to provide an opportunity for Mr Nasser Al Khelaifi to rebut claims made in a forged document. Mr Al Khelaifi will be filing a criminal complaint for forgery and the use of forged material in France.
Read the full press release here.
Cameron Doley (Carter-Ruck, London) and Francis Szpiner and Renaud Semerdjian (Stas & Associés, Paris) are lawyers acting for Nasser Al Khelaifi.
Lachaux: Supreme Court clarifies ‘serious harm’ threshold for defamation claims
The Supreme Court's recent clarification of the 'serious harm' threshold for defamation claims has been welcomed by newspapers as a victory for free speech. In fact, it is more likely to mean escalating costs and uncertainty for claimants and defendants alike.
Writing in the Law Society's Gazette, Carter-Ruck Associate Mathilde Groppo analyses the decision and offers a prediction of its likely impact.
Read the article here.
Lachaux V Independent Print, Supreme Court Abolished Common Law Presumption of Damage in Libel Cases
Carter-Ruck Avocate a la Cour Mathilde Groppo provides a case update for Inforrm's Blog following the Lachaux judgment handed down by The Supreme Court on 12 June 2019.
Read the article here.
Guardian: Mail Pays Palestinian Charity Damages Over “Hate Festival” Allegations
The Guardian has reported on the damages of £120,000 paid by the Mail and Mail Online to Carter-Ruck client, Palestinian charity Interpal.
Read the article here.
Daily Mail and MailOnline pay £120,000 damages to Interpal Trustees over false terror allegations
Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and MailOnline, has published full apologies and paid £120,000 in libel damages to the Trustees of Interpal.
Interpal and its Trustees are advised by Adam Tudor of Carter-Ruck.
MoD apologises and pays substantial damages to Richard Holden for breach of his privacy
The MoD has apologised to Richard Holden, a political advisor, and agreed to pay him substantial damages and the payment of costs, after it breached his privacy and data protection rights by wrongly disclosing documents from his Developed Vetting interview process to the CPS for use in a prosecution against him. Mr Holden was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the Judge in the case who told him he "left court without any stain on his character".
Mr Holden was advised by Nigel Tait, Helena Shipman and Katherine Hooley of Carter-Ruck.
The Times article (paywall).
Guidance on libel for the social media age
Writing in the Law Society's Gazette, Oliver Cox examines a 76-month libel dispute that gives guidance on defamation in the Facebook era.
Read more here.
Guy Martin in PR Week: Agency leaders confront idea theft and call for stronger protection
Carter-Ruck partner Guy Martin speaks to PR Week on steps agencies can take to avoid their creative ideas being used by clients without acknowledgement or remuneration.
Read more here (paywall)
‘POLITE NOTICE’ Biker wins libel case
A motorcycle enthusiast has won his libel claims against four mass circulation newspapers that falsely claimed he attempted to deceive the public into believing he was a police officer.
Mr Emanuel was represented by Nigel Tait, Persephone Bridgman Baker and Mathilde Groppo of Carter-Ruck.
The full Statement in Open Court is attached.
Landmark $35 million refugee donation
Qatari businessman and philanthropist Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani has donated more than $35 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help provide aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and displaced Yemenis.
Every good courtroom drama needs a climax: Helena Shipman in The Times
Carter-Ruck Associate Helena Shipman has been quoted in Edward Fennell's legal column in The Times on the enduring English spectacle of the statement in Open Court.
Read more here (paywall).
Rachel Nickell allegations: former police commander secures apology and compensation from Mirror
Mirror Group Newspapers has issued an unreserved apology and agreed to pay substantial compensation and legal costs to former police Commander Roy Ramm, after the Mirror newspaper published false and defamatory allegations about him on its website in March 2018.
Mr Ramm was advised by Nigel Tait, Helena Shipman and Katherine Hooley of Carter-Ruck.
The Times article (Paywall).
