The European court has ruled that characterizing Alisher Usmanov as the "favorite oligarch of Putin" is a form of defamation. This information has been reported by EU Today, citing official court documents.
The Hamburg Regional Court issued a verdict in a legal case initiated by Alisher Usmanov, the founder of USM Holdings, against the Austrian newspaper Kurier. The newspaper had labeled Usmanov as "Putin's preferred oligarch" in a recent article. The court determined that the wording used lacked substantiation, given the absence of public evidence supporting such a claim.
According to Spot.uz the court deemed it inadequate to solely rely on the statement that Usmanov is described as "one of Putin's favored oligarchs" in the context of the justification for European sanctions.
The court documents state that the Kurier newspaper was unable to prove the truth of the defamatory assertion that Putin referred to Usmanov as his "favorite oligarch."
In early March 2022, Usmanov found himself added to the sanction lists of both the European Union and Japan. As per the EU's perspective, Usmanov falls under the category of a "state businessman." This refers to trusted individuals within the Kremlin who manage financial flows and whose positions are dependent on the president. Additionally, it is claimed that Usmanov supports the "destabilization of Ukraine."
In response to the EU sanctions, the businessman pursued legal action, contending that these measures could potentially lead to bankruptcy for key holdings like MegaFon, Metalloinvest, and Udokan Copper. During proceedings at the EU General Court, Usmanov's legal representative emphasized that the sanctions were imposed due to his wealth and prominence.
Reports also emerged in January indicating Usmanov's intention to wind down his business involvements and step away from leadership responsibilities within the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. In an interview with the Italian outlet TGcom24, he confirmed his focus on philanthropic efforts.
Comments (0)