Cases

Islam Expo Ltd v The Spectator (1828) Ltd & Pollard

Facts

C was the organiser of the IslamExpo exhibitions in 2006 and 2008. D1 published on its website an article written by D2 which referred to the 2008 exhibition and the involvement of the think tank Demos in a debate and a seminar at the exhibition and stated that Demos had "worked with a clerical fascist party to organise a conference about its racist, genocidal theorcratic political programme" and had been "working with an organisation dedicated to genocide". The article contained hyperlinks to four other websites.

C sued the Ds for libel, pleading that the article meant that C is "is a fascist party dedicated to genocide which organised IslamExpo, a conference with a racist and genocidal programme". Ds pleaded justification to that meaning, alternatively a different meaning, and fair comment.

Shortly before witness statements were due to be exchanged, Ds applied for a ruling that the words complained of were not capable of referring to C in the pleaded meaning, when read with the hyperlinked material (as Ds contended the words should be read) or at all.

Also