Euronews reported on a lawsuit against the Council of the EU in the case of Usmanov's defamation

German lawyer Joachim Steinhefel, who represents the interests of Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, has filed a lawsuit against the Council of the European Union (EU) in a libel case. This was reported on August 26 by Euronews TV channel with reference to the documents at its disposal.

It is specified that the EU Council will have to answer in court on this claim if the appeal, which is currently pending in the German Federal Court, is satisfied.

"The expression of a journalist's opinion cannot serve as a basis for sanctions. The Council cannot publish an article as an alleged statement of fact if the author himself explains that it was just an opinion," Steinhefel notes.

According to him, among the examples is the publication of Forbes magazine, which stated that Usmanov allegedly acted in the business sphere in favor of Russia. This claim was challenged in the Hamburg Regional Court, which declared it illegal.

Steinhafel stressed that hundreds of articles, including in the largest European media, have already been deleted or corrected. In addition, more than 60 court decisions have banned politicians and journalists from repeating such statements.

"The EU Council violates Mr. Usmanov's personal rights and damages his reputation. In a democratic society based on the rule of law, no one — neither the State nor the EU — should be above the law. I am dealing with this case as a lawyer and as a citizen: the constitution guarantees access to court to anyone whose rights are infringed by state power, and depriving a foreign citizen of these rights would damage the rule of law, our constitution and our democracy," the lawyer added.

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In August last year, Usmanov said that sanctions against Russian businessmen for political reasons were a "colossal mistake" by the West, and Europe was suffering the most from the restrictions. According to him, the West is reaping the paradoxically opposite results of the sanctions regime they have imposed. Contrary to expectations, the restrictions are more harmful for the Europeans themselves than for the Russians.

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