Court: Businessman's Lawsuit Against Journalist an Attempt to Silence Press

Harju County Court in Estonia has dismissed a lawsuit filed by businessman Parvel Pruunsild against media group Delfi Meedia and journalist Laine, ruling that the legal action was an attempt to silence the press. The court ordered Pruunsild to bear all legal costs.

The lawsuit concerned an article published in Eesti Ekspress and its website, which covered documents made public during court proceedings involving Pruunsild and former Tartu Deputy Mayor Priit Humal. Pruunsild, a major donor to the Isamaa party, claimed the article unlawfully processed his personal data and sought the removal of 44 references to him. He also demanded €417,384 in damages and €28,626.52 in legal costs.

The court rejected the claims, stating that the article was published lawfully and served the public interest. It noted that the plaintiff had artificially inflated the claim by treating each sentence as a separate violation. "The plaintiff's aim is to silence the press, a goal that the court cannot support in these proceedings," the ruling stated.

Journalist Laine welcomed the decision, saying the lawsuit was clearly intended to intimidate journalists. He added that such lawsuits have become a troubling trend. Pruunsild told ERR he intends to appeal the ruling within 30 days.

Pruunsild has been involved in several other legal disputes, including cases against journalist Erik Moora, former Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi, and politician Siim Kallas. He is the majority owner of Bigbank and a member and sponsor of Isamaa.