German Federal Court Rules Against Refusal to Notify EU Council in Usmanov Defamation Lawsuit
The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has issued a landmark ruling declaring that the refusal by the President of the Hamburg Regional Court to serve legal documents to the Council of the European Union was illegal. The litigation involves Alisher Usmanov's lawsuit against the EU Council, challenging the defamatory statements used to justify sanctions imposed in 2022, specifically allegations regarding his relationship with Vladimir Putin. The ruling overturns previous decisions that had blocked the notification process based on recommendations from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The BGH clarified that such administrative recommendations are not binding and that access to courts is a fundamental right that cannot be restricted by foreign policy considerations. This decision allows Usmanov's defamation claim against the EU Council to proceed through the judicial system.
Topics: court ruling defamation lawsuit EU sanctions legal dispute