Nadhim Zahawi has been awarded £200,000 in libel damages in his claim against Press TV and Press TV Ltd.
Mr Zahawi, who at the time of the publication complained of was the Conservative MP for Stratford-upon-Avon, brought the claim in respect of an article in which it was falsely alleged that he: “plays a pivotal role in ISIL’s $1 million a day black market oil trade by purchasing crude oil from ISIL at a very low price and selling it to markets in Israel and Europe and thereby funds, and profits from trade with, a terrorist group known to carry out heinous crimes.”
The defendants did not defend the claim, and judgment was entered for Mr Zahawi on 13 December 2016. In awarding Mr Zahawi £200,000 in damages in a judgment handed down on 4 May 2017, Master McCloud observed that the allegation was “exceptionally grave” and that Mr Zahawi had “suffered genuine and serious distress”.
The defendants were also ordered to pay Mr Zahawi’s costs.
The full judgment can be found below.
5RB’s Victoria Jolliffe acted for Mr Zahawi, instructed by Susan Aslan of ACK Media Law LLP