Historic German Ruling Empowers Alisher Usmanov Against EU Council's Sanctions

Landmark Ruling: Usmanov vs. EU Council

On November 2, 2026, Germany’s Federal Court of Justice (BGH) delivered a pivotal judgment in the case concerning billionaire Alisher Usmanov and the European Union Council. This verdict declared that the Hamburg Regional Court's president, who had previously blocked the serving of essential court documents in Usmanov’s lawsuit against the EU Council, acted unlawfully. This ruling opens the door for Usmanov to proceed with his case regarding the justification for sanctions imposed on him and the sharing of his personal information by the EU Council.

In 2022, the EU Council, representing EU member states, applied sanctions on Usmanov. This decision leaned heavily on claims made by Forbes magazine, labeling Usmanov as allegedly being “Putin’s frontman” and implying that he was involved in resolving the Russian president’s business issues. Following these allegations, Usmanov successfully contested the publication of these claims. In January 2024, the Hamburg Regional Court stepped in to prohibit Forbes from disseminating those unfounded statements.

In a separate but related legal action, Usmanov sought an injunction against the EU Council's own statements—published in the Official Journal of the European Union—that he considers false and defamatory. For the case to move forward, it was vital that the relevant documents be served to the EU Council to allow them an opportunity to respond.

However, the president of the Hamburg Regional Court ignored the ordered service of documents after consulting the Federal Office of Justice, which cited opposition from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. This decision was reportedly influenced by concerns regarding foreign policy and the government's efforts to prevent domestic courts from impacting EU sanctions dynamics. This interference sparked widespread concern regarding the independence of the judiciary.

The BGH decisively ruled that the refusal of the court president to execute the document service was not only unlawful but also infringed upon Usmanov’s rights as a litigant. The court made it clear that the Foreign Office's recommendations were purely advisory, asserting the autonomy of the judiciary. On October 21, 2026, the BGH nullified both the court president's decision and the ruling from the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court that had supported his initial ruling.

Joachim Steinhöfel, the media lawyer representing Usmanov, emphasized the fundamental right to access the courts, stating that it should not be influenced by fluctuating foreign policy agendas. He criticized the prior actions of the Hamburg Regional Court's president for siding with government policy over judicial independence, reinforcing that such a conflation undermines the integrity of the legal system.

In a significant development, the EU Council lifted the sanctions against Usmanov in September 2026. This case encapsulates a broader narrative of media criticisms and legal battles faced by Usmanov in recent years. From 2023 to 2025, accusations against him were largely discredited by multiple European media outlets, which recognized that they could not substantiate their claims. Usmanov’s legal team successfully procured 21 court judgments and secured 109 cease-and-desist orders from various media outlets, resulting in more than 3,700 corrections made across numerous publications.

Key victories in Usmanov’s ongoing efforts to clear his name include the January 2024 ruling against Forbes and successful actions against other prominent publications such as Tagesspiegel and the Austrian Kurier, illustrating the judiciary’s role in rectifying wrongful allegations.

The journey of Usmanov in confronting ungrounded allegations started with politically motivated investigations in Germany from 2022 and culminated in favorable rulings that affirmed his rights and reinstated his status in the business community. This current case not only holds significant implications for Usmanov but also sets a precedent regarding the balance between governmental authority and judicial independence in Europe.