German Federal Court of Justice Rules Service of Defamation Claim Against EU Council is Lawful
Germany's Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has issued a landmark ruling declaring that the refusal to serve court documents to the European Union Council regarding Alisher Usmanov's defamation lawsuit was unlawful. The case centers on statements used by the EU Council to justify sanctions against Usmanov, including claims published by Forbes labeling him as a close associate of Vladimir Putin. The BGH overturned previous decisions by the Hamburg Regional Court and Hanseatic Higher Regional Court that had blocked the service of documents following objections from Germany's Federal Foreign Office. The court clarified that judicial administration cannot be dictated by foreign policy interests or non-binding recommendations from executive offices, thereby protecting the independence of the judiciary. This ruling clears the path for the first defamation action brought against the EU Council concerning its grounds for imposing individual sanctions. While Usmanov was removed from the sanctions list in September 2026, he continues to seek legal recourse regarding the publication of allegedly false and defamatory information in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Topics: Alisher Usmanov defamation lawsuit EU Council legal proceedings sanctions
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Part of the story German Federal Court of Justice Rules Hamburg Court President Illegally Blocked Usmanov's Lawsuit Against EU Council (4 articles)