The Treasury is reviewing its processes after reports it helped the head of Russia's notorious mercenary Wagner Group circumvent UK sanctions to take a British journalist to court.

 

James Cartlidge, exchequer secretary, confirmed a review is under way about the Treasury's decision-making but could not comment publicly on the case of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.

 

Investigative website openDemocracy reported a small Treasury team issued licences to allow British lawyers to help Mr Prigozhin - once dubbed "Putin's chef" - launch libel action against Bellingcat journalist Eliot Higgins in the UK in 2021.

 

https://news.sky.com/story/treasury-reviewing-processes-after-reports-it-helped-wagner-group-boss-circumvent-sanctions-to-sue-british-journalist-12795500

 

 

Unlike in the US, in the UK it's incumbent upon the party being sued for libel or slander to prove the truth of their words. This, of course, is immensely useful to the rich and powerful in discouraging criticism of their actions. A case that comes to mind is that of Robert Maxwell, who was robbing his workers of their pension monies in order to fund his extravagant way of living. Journalists didn't dare report on it for fear of being sued.