Russian billionaire Usmanov’s lawyer targets EU Council in defamation case

A German lawyer has filed a groundbreaking case seeking permission to sue the European Union Council for defamation, challenging statements made in the reasoning behind sanctions imposed on businessman Alisher Usmanov.

The case, if allowed, could be the first of its kind linking defamation claims to an EU sanctions decision, Euronews reports.

The lawsuit centres on the Council’s September 2023 statement that described Usmanov as “reportedly fronting for President Putin and solving his business problems,” citing Forbes as the source.

Hamburg-based lawyer Joachim Steinhoefel argues that this and other claims relied on by the Council have since been shown to be false or unlawful. He points to retracted statements, court rulings against similar claims in the media, and the banning of specific assertions, including a report that Putin called Usmanov “his favourite oligarch.”

Steinhoefel contends that the Council relied on unverified press reports without sufficient independent sources, and that labelling lawful business activities—such as owning shares and paying taxes—as “actively supporting the Russian government’s policies of destabilisation of Ukraine” is a “perverse inversion of basic rights.” He argues this constitutes “coercion by proxy,” using private individuals as leverage in foreign policy.

Because EU courts do not allow defamation suits against EU institutions, Steinhoefel initially attempted to bring the case in Hamburg. An appeals court dismissed it, citing the Council’s immunity, prompting Steinhoefel to appeal to Germany’s Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe.

The lawsuit does not seek to overturn Usmanov’s sanctions listing but aims to prevent the Council from further disseminating statements Steinhoefel considers defamatory. A ruling on the appeal is pending.

By Tamilla Hasanova