LONDON: The High Court in London has ruled in favor of Brigadier (retd) Rashid Naseer in a defamation case against former Pakistani military officer and YouTuber, Major (retd) Adil Farooq Raja. The court declared Raja’s allegations against Naseer as “false, baseless, and malicious,” ordering him to pay a total of £350,000 in damages and legal costs.
Justice Richard Spearman of the High Court’s King’s Bench Division found that Raja had made “serious and deliberately false” accusations against Brigadier Naseer via social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook, without offering any credible evidence. The court noted that Raja’s remarks were “inflammatory” and aimed to damage Naseer’s reputation, particularly within the British Pakistani community.
In addition to the £50,000 in damages, Raja was ordered to pay £300,000 in court and legal costs, and must issue a written apology and cease publishing further defamatory statements.
The ruling set an important legal precedent for online defamation, emphasizing that social media posts are admissible as evidence in such cases. The judgment further clarified that freedom of expression does not protect individuals who spread unfounded allegations.
Brigadier Naseer, after the verdict, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “The truth has exposed the lies, and this verdict is a victory for truth.”
This case marks a significant development in the ongoing legal and reputational battle surrounding Raja, who has previously faced accusations of inciting hatred and other legal troubles related to his online content.
