The Regional Court of Hamburg has issued a preliminary injunction against Austrian newspaper Krone, barring it from repeating claims that Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich evaded taxes using luxury yachts.
The ruling comes after Krone published an article earlier this year accusing Abramovich of orchestrating a complex offshore scheme to avoid paying millions in taxes, allegedly using the yachts Eclipse and Solaris. The article, titled "Couldn't Be More Brazen - Abramovich Evaded Millions Using Luxury Yachts," has since been removed from the outlet's website.
The court found the article's assertions to be unsupported, stating that even under the standard of suspicion-based reporting, the claims lacked the necessary factual foundation. "
The legal request for the injunction was filed by German attorney Joachim Nikolaus Steinhöfel on behalf of Abramovich.
In a statement, Steinhöfel maintained that Abramovich neither directly nor indirectly owns the yachts in question and therefore could not have committed any tax violations related to them. He also noted that no official investigations or legal proceedings have been opened against his client in connection to the claims.
The court's decision reinforces growing scrutiny over media accountability, particularly regarding high-profile individuals targeted in politically charged contexts.
It also follows recent corrections by international bodies. In February, The Jerusalem Post reported that both the European Union and the United Kingdom had removed several previously published allegations about Abramovich after finding them to be unsubstantiated.
While the injunction is currently a preliminary measure, it marks a significant step in Abramovich's ongoing efforts to challenge false or misleading media narratives in European jurisdictions.
EU downgrades sanctions rationale against Roman Abramovich
The EU has amended its sanctions justification against Abramovich, removing previous claims that he financially benefited from the Russian government, according to a statement released on his behalf in early February.
The change, which was made on January 27, follows a December 2023 ruling by the European General Court that dismissed the EU Council’s argument linking Abramovich to Russian decision-makers responsible for Crimea’s annexation and the destabilization of Ukraine.
As a result, the EU has removed the claim that he has “benefited from Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea or the destabilization of Ukraine.”
Despite the amendment, Abramovich remains sanctioned by the EU. The court upheld his designation solely on the grounds that he is a “Russian businessman” – a broad classification under current EU regulations that applies even to passive shareholders in sectors unrelated to the war.
Abramovich’s legal team had formally requested the EU to adjust the designation in line with the court’s ruling, a request that has now been granted.