CNN contended that a security consulting firm was, in fact, violating Sharia law while facilitating evacuations in Afghanistan, as part of a lawsuit concerning its coverage of the 2021 withdrawal.
In June, a court in Florida determined that Zachary Young and his business, Nemex Enterprises Inc., presented sufficient evidence to proceed with a defamation lawsuit against CNN. Young accused the network of tarnishing his company’s reputation by suggesting it profited illegally while aiding individuals in escaping Afghanistan, employing terms like “black market,” “exploit,” and “exorbitant” to portray him as a malicious actor taking advantage of vulnerable people.
In a motion for summary judgment filed by CNN on Thursday, lead counsel Deanna K. Shullman stated, “This entire defamation case rests on Young’s claim that CNN implied he participated in unlawful activities when he arranged, for a considerable fee, to have women smuggled out of Afghanistan.”
Shullman highlighted, in the submission obtained by Newsbusters, that Young’s actions were technically illegal since the Taliban had enforced Sharia law in Afghanistan at that time.
A segment on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” allegedly accused a security consulting company of exploiting Afghans. (CNN/Screenshot)
“[D]iscovery has indicated that the activities he orchestrated and funded, which entailed smuggling women out of Afghanistan, were almost certainly illegal under Taliban rule,” she remarked.
CNN FACES DEFAMATION SUIT OVER AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL STORY: ‘EVIDENCE OF ACTUAL MALICE’
However, the summary asserted that CNN’s coverage of Young’s evacuation efforts did not focus on whether those actions were illegal under Taliban law.
“The emphasis was on how malicious entities—war profiteers like Young—were exploiting the desperate circumstances of Afghans and the turmoil within the country to charge prices for evacuations that were far beyond what locals could afford. This is what CNN journalists believed about Young and his enterprise at the time—and continue to believe. This was reflected in CNN’s reporting, and discovery has verified this fact beyond any significant dispute,” the summary noted.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a CNN spokesperson reiterated, “Young disputes CNN’s reference to the ground conditions as a black market. Acknowledging local law is a crucial component of the legal analysis. There is no reasonable interpretation of CNN’s filing that backs such a false, careless, and malicious representation.”
Attorney Vel Freedman criticized CNN’s mention of Sharia law while defending its reporting. (Photo by Bilal Guler/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images | Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Vel Freedman, a partner at Normand Friedland representing Young, denounced the network’s reference to Sharia law as a desperate attempt to evade accountability.
“Citing a terrorist regime’s most extreme and distorted interpretation of Sharia signifies CNN’s desperation to avoid responsibility. Their argument is not only legally unfounded but also an affront to the memory of those who have suffered at the hands of the Taliban. We anticipate taking CNN to trial,” Freedman informed Fox News Digital.
The broadcast cited in the lawsuit originated from a segment aired on November 11, 2021, on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” which was shared on social media and also made available on CNN’s website. Tapper informed viewers how CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt found that “Afghans trying to escape the country confront a black market filled with over-promises, exorbitant fees, and no assurance of safety or success.”
CNN’S LONG HISTORY OF PUSHING DISINFORMATION, HERE ARE FIVE EXAMPLES
The quote also appeared as a chyron at the bottom of the screen.
Plaintiff Zachary Young’s photo was aired by CNN during the segment in question. (CNN/Screenshot)
Marquardt then remarked that “desperate Afghans are being taken advantage of” and must pay “exorbitant, often unmanageable amounts” to escape the country. He specifically identified Young and his business, displaying a photograph of his face on-screen as an illustration.
No other individuals or companies were mentioned apart from Young.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.
