Nine wins 60 Minutes defamation case

A divorced couple has lost a defamation case brought against the Nine Network.

The case, surrounding a 2014 60 Minutes story “Forced Marriage” was heard in the NSW Supreme Court and saw reporter Liz Hayes attend court proceedings.

In her 2014 story she heard Nadia Tabbaa was kidnapped when she was 13 and holidaying in Egypt. Nadia said she was taken to relatives in Jordan, beaten by her father, forced to undergo a medical examination to check her virginity and then made to marry a cousin in his 30s. She told 60 Minutes she did not escape until 5 years later on her 18th birthday.

Her parents, Mouhammad Tabbaa and his former wife Pamela Tabbaa, said the claims in the report were not true. Together with Pamela’s brother Omar, took the matter to court.

Yesterday a jury deliberated for just over one day, finding in Nine’s favour.

The parents have been ordered to pay the legal costs of Nine and a hearing will be held if the broadcaster seeks a special order as to the scale of costs applicable.

In relation to a Nine news program, the jury did not accept as true a contention that Mr Tabbaa had “sold off” Nadia to her cousin’s family in Syria.

The issue of damages related to the claim will be heard at a later date, but Nine’s barrister indicated it would argue the amount should be zero because it caused no further harm to the father’s reputation.

Source: News Corp, Yahoo