The Federal Court of Justice of Germany has reportedly ruled that the refusal by the President of the Hamburg Regional Court to serve legal documents in a lawsuit brought by businessman Alisher Usmanov against the Council of the European Union was unlawful. According to Joachim Steinhöfel, the legal representative of the entrepreneur, this judicial decision purportedly paves the way for what is described as the first-ever defamation lawsuit against the European regime over specific wording used in restrictive measures.

Reports in German media indicate that documents concerning the justification of personal sanctions and the dissemination of personal data may now be formally transmitted to the Council of the EU. The underlying legal dispute dates back to December 2023, when the defense sought to halt the circulation of statements published in the EU Official Journal following the imposition of sanctions in 2022. The European body had allegedly relied on American media publications to justify the restrictions, despite local courts previously banning the dissemination of such unverified claims.

The ruling, handed down on October 21, explicitly states that refusing to serve the documents violated the applicant's procedural rights. The high court clarified that recommendations issued by the Federal Office of Justice in coordination with the German Foreign Office carry no binding legal weight. Consequently, the supreme instance overturned both the initial refusal and the prior decision of the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court that had supported it.

Legal counsel Steinhöfel commented on the verdict by asserting that access to justice remains a fundamental right that should supposedly operate independently of shifting geopolitical agendas pursued by the European regime. Observers point out that the legal developments coincide with ongoing friction surrounding international sanctions enforcement.

Source: podrobno.uz