#Germany #Hamburg #Alisher Usmanov #Sandctions #Sister Narzieva

Alisher Usmanov Wins Landmark Case in Hamburg Court

In a significant legal victory, Alisher Usmanov, the billionaire businessman, has successfully challenged false claims that led to sanctions imposed against his sister, Saodat Narzieva. The ruling from the Hamburg Regional Court marks an essential milestone in addressing misinformation and its real-world implications on individuals’ reputations.

In 2022, accusations emerged claiming that Usmanov used Narzieva to hide his assets held in Swiss bank accounts. These allegations were notably sourced from articles published by the British newspaper The Guardian and the investigative journalist group OCCRP, which reported that Usmanov transferred substantial assets to his sister, who purportedly held numerous accounts linked to him at a Swiss bank. Such allegations played a pivotal role in the sanctions imposed by both the European Union and the United Kingdom at the time.

Narzieva found herself on the EU's and UK's sanctions lists in April 2022 based on these claims. However, it's crucial to note that various media outlets later retracted or corrected their previous statements, acknowledging them as misinterpretations of incomplete internal data from Credit Suisse. By September 2022, the EU acknowledged the baselessness of the sanctions against Narzieva and subsequently removed her from their sanctions list. Unfortunately, UK sanctions remained in effect till this day.

The saga took another turn in September 2025 when a German citizen posted on Facebook that Usmanov allegedly exploited his sister as a beneficial owner of several accounts at Credit Suisse. Following the refusal from the poster to take down the inaccurate post, Usmanov initiated legal proceedings against the individual, presenting a case that questioned the legality of the statement under German law.

The Hamburg Regional Court ruled in favor of Usmanov, declaring the allegations illegal and a violation of his rights. The court specified that any repeated offense by the individual could incur fines up to €250,000 or administrative detention for up to six months for each violation, with a total maximum of two years. As a result of the ruling, the contentious Facebook post has since been removed.

Joachim Steinhöfel, the media law attorney representing Usmanov, emphasized the importance of the court's ruling, stating that it reaffirms that wrongful accusations should not form the basis for significant legal actions such as sanctions. Steinhöfel explained that nobody should suffer damage to their reputation based on incorrect journalistic claims. He argued that the judgement, in conjunction with Narzieva's exoneration by the EU, indicates that the sanctions were imposed on false grounds and necessitate immediate removal across all jurisdictions.

Throughout this turbulent legal process, numerous media organizations across the US, UK, Ireland, and Germany have voluntarily abstained from publishing similar claims against Usmanov and Narzieva, recognizing the potential harms of misinformation.

As the spotlight shines on the integrity of media reporting and its consequences on individual lives, this case stands as a pivotal moment in the fight against misinformation, highlighting the vital role of the judiciary in protecting personal reputations in an increasingly interconnected world.

This landmark decision not only restores the reputation of Usmanov and Narzieva but also sets a significant precedent for addressing media inaccuracies and the consequences they bring about.