Assisting the editor of monthly magazine Wereldmagazine MO* in appeal proceedings before the Belgian Supreme Court (Hof van Cassatie/Cour de cassation) concerning its highly-publicized conviction for a libelous and allegedly slanderous cartoon of public figure and Belgo-Congolese entrepreneur George Forrest.

The Brussels Court of Appeal held that the cartoon constituted a defamation of George Forrest’s name and reputation, and the Court awarded Forrest damages. We represented the magazine in the cassation proceedings and convinced the court successfully to have the appeal court’s decision annulled.

The case touched on fundamental issues of free press and Art. 10 ECHR, and the proceedings lasted through 2014. (Cass. 28 November 2014, nr. C.13.0437.N).

Team: Bruno Maes, Jachin Van Doninck