Media Law News

Latest Media Law News & Publications
By its very nature, the majority of Carter-Ruck’s pre-publication and privacy-related work is confidential and must remain so. However, a selection of recent media and defamation work highlights which are in the public domain is set out below.
The Mail apologises and pays £25,000 in damages to Cambridge Professor over false racism allegations
The publisher of the Daily Mail and MailOnline has apologised to leading academic Professor Gopal, over an article which falsely alleged that she was attempting to incite an aggressive and potentially violent race war, and that she supports and endorses the subjugation and persecution of white people. The Mail has also agreed to pay Professor Gopal £25,000 in libel damages, as well as her legal costs.
Click here for the Apology.
Click here for the Press Release.
Read the Guardian article here.
Read the Cambridge News article here.
Professor Gopal was represented by Adam Tudor and Helena Shipman.
Carter-Ruck on BBC Radio 4 Media Show
Carter-Ruck senior associate Persephone Bridgman Baker was invited to join the BBC Radio 4 Media Show panel of experts discussing the Johnny Depp libel judgment as well as other topical media matters.
Listen to the show here.
Johnny Depp Libel Judgment: Carter-Ruck on Sky News
Carter-Ruck senior associate Helena Shipman was this morning interviewed outside the Royal Courts of Justice by Sky News following the release of the judgment in the libel case of Johnny Depp v News Group Newspapers Limited.
Al Arab pays substantial damages and costs to Rached Ghannouchi
Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the Tunisian Ennahdha Party and Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament, has received damages, together with an undertaking not to repeat the false allegations made against him (and payment of his costs) following the recent settlement of his claim against Al Arab Publishing House Limited in respect of an article published on their website, alarab.co.uk, on 5 July 2019.
Click here for Press Release.
Jewish Chronicle apologises and pays substantial libel damages to Nada al-Sanjari
The Jewish Chronicle, its editor Stephen Pollard and journalist Lee Harpin have apologised to Nada al-Sanjari, a school teacher and local councillor over a number of articles they published last year. They have also agreed to pay her a substantial sum in libel damages, as well as her legal costs.
Click here for the Apology.
Click here for the Press Release.
Ms Al-Sanjari was represented by Adam Tudor and Helena Shipman.
Leave.EU apologises and pays substantial libel damages to Naz Shah MP
Leave.EU, the pro-Brexit political campaign group, has apologised to Naz Shah (the MP for Bradford West and Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion) over a Tweet and Facebook Post published in December last year. Leave.EU has also agreed to pay Ms Shah a substantial sum in libel damages, as well as her legal costs.
Click here for the Facebook Apology.
Click here for the Twitter Apology.
Click here for the Press Release.
Ms Shah was represented by Adam Tudor and Helena Shipman.
Oliver Cox on talkRADIO: Consumer Review Websites and the Risk of Libel
Carter-Ruck senior associate Oliver Cox spoke with journalist Ian Collins of talkRADIO on 28 September 2020 about the case of a man facing criminal charges in Thailand for causing 'damage to the reputation' of a hotel through his negative TripAdvisor review, and through this the wider issues surrounding such review sites for both consumers and those listed.
To watch the talkRADIO interview click here.
Primary school teacher awarded £49,000 in libel compensation over false allegations
Primary school teacher awarded £49,000 in libel compensation over false allegations of unacceptable professional conduct
Rached Ghannouchi awarded £45,000 over false allegations of terrorism and foreign funding
In a judgment handed down on 23 July 2020, the High Court of Justice awarded Rached Ghannouchi (the leader of the Tunisian Ennahdha Party and Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament) £45,000 in libel damages in respect of an article published on 5 July 2019 by Middle East Online Limited and its Editor, Haitham El Zobaidi (who are based in London).
Read the Press Release here.
Nectar Trust Secures Apology And Substantial Damages From Daily Telegraph
The publisher of the Daily Telegraph has apologised and agreed to pay substantial libel damages to the Nectar Trust (a UK charity) and its Trustees, over wholly false allegations linking the charity to terrorism and questioning its independence.
Read the Press Release here.
Adam Tudor and Helena Shipman acted for Nectar Trust and its Trustees.
Read the Telegraph apology here.
Read the Gulf Times article here.
Post-Covid Employer Reputation, Risk & Liability Webinar: The Role of HR
Carter-Ruck partner Claire Gill is participating as a key speaker on Thursday 9th July at 11am at the Business Forums International UK (BFI) webinar focusing on HR's role post-Covid. Claire will be speaking about the reputational issues arising from the pandemic and the legal rights related to the protection of reputation. BFI is a specialist consultancy that works closely within the HR sector.
Register to attend here.
Palestinian Return Centre secures apologies and damages from Mail on Sunday over Tom Bower libel
The publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline has apologised and agreed to pay substantial damages to the Palestinian Return Centre and its Chairman, Majed al-Zeer, over false allegations published in 2019 as part of the Mail's serialisation of Tom Bower's biography of Jeremy Corbyn.
Read the Press Release here.
Read the Middle East Eye article here.
Read the Press Gazette article here.
The Palestinian Return Centre is advised by Adam Tudor, Helena Shipman and Katherine Hooley of Carter-Ruck.
Leading Tunisian politician Rached Ghannouchi wins claim against Middle East Online and its editor
The leader of the Tunisian Ennahdha Party and Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament has obtained judgment in his claim against Middle East Online Limited and its Editor, Haitham El Zobaidi (who are based in London), in respect of an article published on 5 July 2019.
Read the Press Release here.
Government Adviser Qari Asim MBE secures full apology and damages after Mail libel
The publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline has today apologised in the High Court to Mr Qari Asim MBE, a Government Adviser and senior Imam, over false allegations published in 2019. They also published full apologies and paid Mr Asim libel damages together with his legal costs.
Pakistan Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif Sues Mail
31 January 2020
At a press conference at Carter-Ruck's London offices yesterday, Pakistan Opposition leader, PML-N Party President and former Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif announced that he has commenced libel proceedings against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online.
Examples of the press reports that followed:
https://www.geo.tv/latest/269835-shehbaz-takes-david-rose-mail-publications-to-uks-high-court
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/606421-shehbaz-files-lawsuit-against-mail-newspapers-david-rose-in-london-high-court
https://www.samaa.tv/news/pakistan/2020/01/shehbaz-takes-the-mail-to-court-for-defaming-him/
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/01/30/shehbaz-moves-london-court-over-daily-mail-story/
https://dailytimes.com.pk/549675/shahbaz-sharif-files-case-against-british-journalist-david-rose-and-daily-mail/
https://www.aaj.tv/english/national/shehbaz-sharif-files-defamatory-case-against-daily-mail-in-london-court/
https://www.dawn.com/news/1531469/shehbaz-files-defamation-suit-against-uk-publications-journalist-david-rose-over-2019-article