The injunction on media outlets Stundin and Reykjavík Media issued by the Reykjavík District Commissioner in October 2017 has been lifted today by the local District Court.
As we recently wrote, Stundin was ordered to cease any reporting on former Prime Minister Bjarni Beneðiktsson and his financial dealings with bank Glitnir HoldCo. Glitnir claimed that Stundin had broken the law by examining leaked documents that included data on a variety of clients, whose right to privacy had therefore been violated.
However, the injunction only revolved around the protection of Bjarni’s financial dealings. After the scandal, the former Prime Minister made sure to distance himself from the injunction, clarifying he had never requested it.
If approved in court, the ban could have had serious repercussions on the citizens’ right to information. Instead, the District Court decision represents a good step towards ensuring the protection of local media from unfair lawsuits.
Whether the District Court’s verdict will put an end to this case is still unclear, as Glitnir could potentially take the case to the Supreme Court. Until then, however, Stundin is free to continue their research and report on the former Prime Minister as they please.
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