Delfi appeals to European Court of Human Rights over comments
17.11.2009, 16:42
Estonian online news and entertainment portal Delfi has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in its dispute with businessman Vjacheslav Leedo, writes Postimees.
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Leedo claimed damages for anonymous comments published by readers of Delfi.
In June the Estonian Supreme Court upheld the judgement made by the Tallinn Circuit Court which found that Delfi was responsible for comments posted by its readers. Delfi was ordered to pay Leedo symbolic damages in the amount of 5,000 kroons.
In June Andrus Raudsalu, CEO of Delfi, said that the Estonian court had taken a position that was unprecedented in Europe and contrary to current court practice. "Court said that a commentator was not responsible for anything and mediators such as Delfi must take all the responsibility,” Raudsalu said.
“Those who spread animosity and hatred on the Internet will now see that someone else is taking the responsibility for their insults. That is encouraging them,” Raudalu noted.
On January 24, 2006 Delfi published an article “SLK lõhkus plaanitava jäätrassi” (“SLK broke planned ice bridge”) that received collected 185 comments. Leedo found that at least 20 of them were insulting him.
Delfi removed comments after Leedos’s letter from March 9, 2006. On April 17, 2006 Vjatšeslav Leedo filed an action against Delfi for causing non-material damage.