Johan Lundberg sues DN for libel

Johan Lundberg, owner of the property group NFF Nordic AB, is suing the editor-in-chief of the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter (DN), Peter Wolodarski, for libel. The suit stems from a major article in which DN depicts Johan Lundberg as having links to the Russian government and to the right-wing populist party Sweden Democrats, statements that are completely unfounded.

“The article is extremely offensive and has caused me and my colleagues great damage to our personal and business reputations,” says Johan Lundberg.

An article was published on Dagens Nyheter’s website dn.se on October 7 and in its printed edition on October 8 as part of an investigation into “how stakeholders with direct and indirect links to Russia advanced their positions in Sweden”. In the article, DN also intimated that Johan Lundberg sympathises with and actively supports Sweden Democrats. The article contained a number of insinuations for which DN cannot provide any factual basis.

A subsequent piece published in DN on October 18 included wording that identifies Johan Lundberg as a potential threat to Swedish security policy interests, based entirely on completely unfounded statements in the first article.

“The claims are largely aimed at exposing Johan Lundberg to the disrespect of others. The publication of these deeply offensive statements in one of Sweden’s biggest daily newspapers has entailed a gross violation of Johan Lundberg’s good name and reputation. The publication and spread of these claims have already had consequences for Johan Lundberg privately and socially as well as professionally,” writes Johan Lundberg’s representative, the attorney Percy Bratt, in his statement of claim.

Percy Bratt has therefore submitted a plaint today to the Stockholm District Court. Johan Lundberg urges the court to convict Peter Wolodarski of gross libel or libel, to pay non-material damages of one million Swedish kronor and, if Wolodarski is found guilty, to require Dagens Nyheter to publish the verdict in the newspaper. Johan Lundberg also reserves the right to demand compensation for the financial damages he has incurred as a result of what Dagens Nyheter has published.

For further information, please contact:

Hans Uhrus

Press contact, NFF Nordic AB

+46 (0)768 95 0101

hans.uhrus@uhrvis.se

NFF Nordic is a privately owned property company that combines a global outlook and global experience with strong local expertise, a strong local presence and a passion for property. Our main mission is to acquire, actively manage and develop centrally located residential, office and retail properties in Stockholm.