German Top Court Rules Hamburg Judge Wrongly Blocked Usmanov EU Lawsuit

Germany's Federal Court of Justice has ruled that the president of the Hamburg Regional Court acted unlawfully by blocking Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from pursuing a lawsuit against the Council of the European Union, according to a statement released November 2, 2026.

The case centers on Usmanov's legal bid to challenge EU sanctions imposed on him following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The German Foreign Ministry had sought to prevent the case from proceeding before a domestic court, but the presiding judge had authorized the action to move forward — a decision the Hamburg court president then overrode, the statement said.

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The Federal Court of Justice, Germany's highest civil and criminal court, determined that the court president's intervention contravened the directive of the judge legally responsible for the case, rendering the blockage procedurally invalid. The ruling represents a significant procedural rebuke of the Hamburg court leadership and the Foreign Ministry's position.

The outcome could have broader implications for how European jurisdictions handle domestic legal challenges brought by sanctioned individuals against EU institutions. Usmanov, one of Russia's wealthiest businessmen, has been subject to EU asset freezes and travel bans since 2022. Legal challenges to such sanctions have multiplied across European courts in recent years, with sanctioned parties increasingly seeking relief through national judicial systems.

Attorneys for Usmanov framed the ruling as a vindication of his right of access to courts, a principle enshrined in both German constitutional law and European human rights frameworks. The case will now presumably be allowed to proceed before the appropriate Hamburg tribunal. Continue reading at All Financial Services & Investing.