Rue89Lyon acquitted in defamation appeal by Jean-Michel Aulas

The Lyon Court of Appeal has upheld the acquittal of the independent media outlet Rue89Lyon in a defamation lawsuit brought by Jean-Michel Aulas and his son, Alexandre Aulas. The legal dispute originated from an October 2023 investigation titled “The Aulas family flies by private jet to tax havens,” which examined investments made by the family holding company, Holnest, in a Florida-based company specializing in luxury private jet services.

The plaintiffs had alleged that the article contained defamatory insinuations regarding tax evasion. However, the court confirmed the initial ruling, stating that the descriptions of international corporate structures and the use of private jets did not reasonably constitute an attack on their honor or reputation. The court noted that describing complex international business arrangements as “Russian dolls” was common expression rather than necessarily polemical.

While the acquittal was confirmed, the appellate court did not uphold the previous order requiring the Aulas family to reimburse the media outlet's legal fees. Pierre Lemerle, the publication director of Rue89Lyon, welcomed the decision, noting that the seriousness of their investigation had been recognized twice, while also criticizing the legal action as a “SLAPP” (strategic lawsuit against public participation) procedure.