Jackson to Appeal Court Ruling in Defamation Case Against UDI Deputies
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A legal challenge is brewing in Chile as Giorgio Jackson’s defense team, led by lawyer Miguel Schürmann, announced plans to appeal a recent court decision rejecting their complaint against 23 deputies from the UDI party.
The case centers on allegations made by the opposition parliamentarians linking the former minister to both the “Conventions Case” adn the theft of computers from the Ministry of Social Growth. Jackson initially sought moral damages and compensation for harm to his honour and credibility, arguing the accusations were unfounded and damaging. However, the Valparaíso Court of Appeals dismissed the claim in a 36-page ruling.
Appeal Filed Following court Rejection
Following the unfavorable ruling, Schürmann released a statement confirming the intent to appeal. He sharply criticized the court’s decision, arguing it blurred the lines between legitimate political criticism and the purposeful spreading of false information.
“The first thing we want to indicate is that the ruling was resolved by a minister other than the one who oversaw the initial processing of the trial,” Schürmann stated. He further contended that the court did not adequately consider the testimony of journalists who appeared as witnesses, describing the specific claims made against Jackson – linking him to the computer theft and the “conventions” case – as “injurious and lacking livelihoods.”
balancing Freedom of Expression and the Right to Honor
A core argument presented by the defense team revolves around the delicate balance between freedom of expression and the right to honor. schürmann asserted that the court’s decision failed to recognize the clear limits on permissible speech, as defined by both Chilean law and the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
“The big mistake of the failure is confuse legitimate political criticism with the imputation of false facts specific to affect a person’s honor,” Schürmann explained. “Omitting an adequate weighting between freedom of expression and the right to honor, it is indeed not only a violation of recognized rights in the Constitution and in international treaties ratified by Chile, but also implies an inadmissible judicial tolerance to the misinformation system that is stalking our democracy.”
The defense team believes the court’s ruling sets a risky precedent, potentially enabling the unchecked dissemination of false information under the guise of political debate. They are hopeful that the Court of Appeals of Valparaíso will reconsider the case and “restore the fair balance between the political debate and the protection of the essential rights of the people.”
Why: Giorgio Jackson is appealing a court ruling that dismissed his defamation claim against 23 UDI deputies.
Who: Giorgio Jackson (former minister) is the plaintiff, represented by lawyer Miguel Schürmann. The defendants are 23 deputies from the UDI party. The court involved is the Valparaíso Court of Appeals, with an appeal planned to the Court of Appeals of Valparaíso.
What: The UDI deputies accused Jackson of involvement in the “Conventions Case” and the theft of computers from the Ministry of Social Development. Jackson sued for moral damages and harm to his honor and credibility. The initial court dismissed his claim.
How did it end? The Valparaíso Court of Appeals ruled against Jackson, leading his defense team to announce an appeal. The team argues the court failed to distinguish between legitimate political criticism and false accusations, and that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for misinformation. The
