Hourani v. Thomson
Case Law- Country
- Country Location
Latitude: 52.32950805122076
Longitude: -1.4047851562500706
- Country Location (linked Case Law)
- United Kingdom
- Decision Date
- 10 de mar. de 2017
- Case Status
- Closed
- Case Outcome (Procedural)
- Motion Granted
- Case Outcome (Disposition)
- Monetary Damages/Fines
- Keywords
- Defamation
- Libel
- Public Interest
- Judicial Body
- First Instance Court
- Case Number
- [2017] EWHC 432 (QB)
- Case Summary
The High Court of Justice (Queen's Bench Division) in England held that a 2014 media and protest campaign to target and brand three individuals as murderers constituted libel and harassment. The case, filed by one of the campaign's targets, had been brought against individuals who were being paid to run and participate in the campaign after protests with posters with the target's face and the word "murderer" were held in London and stickers related to the campaign were distributed near his house. The Court held that the campaign was “an irresponsible misuse of the right to freedom of expression” and awarded a total of £80,000 in damages to the target of the campaign. The Court concluded that the “interference with free speech represented by the imposition of liability” was “necessary for, and proportionate to" the protection of the target's right to respect for private and family life (para. 235).
- Case Significance
The decision establishes a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.
- Source Name and URL
- Columbia Global Freedom of Expression
- Collection
- CIPIT
- Date Updated
- 11 de mai. de 2024