Iraq Appeals Court Flips Guardian Libel Verdict

Image via WikipediaKudos to the Media Law Prof Blog (http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/media_law_prof_blog/) for reporting on a Dec. 28 decision by an Iraqi appeals court that reversed a libel verdict against The Guardian and its correspondent Ghaith Abdul-Ahad for an April 2009, story critical of Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the Iraq National Intelligence Service (INIS).

In November 2009, the Al-Karakh primary court ruled The Guardian  article that characterized al-Maliki as autocratic was defamatory and fined the newspaper 100,000,000 dinar ($82,513). After consulting nine experts selected by the Iraqi Union of Journalists, the appeal court adopted the panel's unanimous opinion that the article neither harmed nor defamed al-Maliki or the INIS.

 The potential positive impact of the defamation decision on press freedom in the Middle East overcomes the libel case's lack of celebrities and prostitutes (see "TUOL" post 1/14/11).