由此 -2- A B I. INTRODUCTION 1. A B The Defendants posted an Article on a news website on C C 19 April 2006. The Article alleged that the Plaintiffs were involved in D money laundering, terrorist financing and drug trafficking. The Plaintiffs sued the Defendants in defamation complaining that the Plaintiffs’ E D E reputation had been wrongfully tarnished. F F 2. At the time of publication the Defendants were not in a G G position to verify the truth or falsehood of matters stated in the article. But H I the Defendants say that it was in the public interest that the potential wrongdoing by the Plaintiffs be exposed. The Defendants claim that they H I had a social and moral duty to reveal the information in the Article. They J K contend that the Article attracts qualified privilege so that, whether the Article is right or wrong in whole or in part, the Defendants should not be J K held liable in defamation. L L M 3. How, in those circumstances, does the Court strike a balance M between the individual’s right to have his good reputation protected and the N O public’s right to be told of serious potential wrongdoing? That is the issue at the heart of these proceedings. II. R S O P P Q N BACKGROUND Q A. 4. Fact Mr. Abdul Razzak Yaqoob (ARY) is a Pakistani national living in Dubai. He runs a Dubai-based business (known as ARY Traders) R S in partnership with his brother Mr. Muhammad Iqbal. T T U U V V