“Kyiv Independent”, “StateWatch”, and “Levyy Bereh” must pay lawyer Portnov 1,740 euros for inaccurate information

Online publications The Kyiv Independent, StateWatch, and ‘Levyy Bereh’ must pay lawyer Andriy Portnov 80,000 hryvnias.

This decision was made by the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv in response to Portnov’s lawsuit for the protection of honor, dignity, business reputation, and the retraction of false information.

This was reported by Portnov’s lawyer, Anna Kosinova, as written by the publication “Zakon i Biznes” (“Law and Business”).

According to the court’s decision, it was recognized that the information disseminated on The Kyiv Independent’s website in a publication titled “Ukraine imposes sanctions against minor pro-Russian politicians, leaving out the most famous figures,” as well as in a similar publication on the “Levyy Bereh” website, was false and defamatory to Portnov’s honor, dignity, and business reputation.

The defendants must, within five calendar days from the moment the court’s decision comes into legal force, retract the disseminated information and pay Portnov 80,000 hryvnias (€1,740) as compensation for legal expenses.

The lawyer also noted that “Levyy Bereh” provided false testimony to the court, claiming it had not published the article about Portnov, having previously removed it from their website after Portnov filed the lawsuit.

“But the court was provided with an expert opinion that confirmed such a publication was indeed posted,” Kosinova stated.

Previously, Portnov won several similar lawsuits, particularly against the organization “Chesno,” the Anti-Corruption Action Center, and “Hromadske TV.”