Hong Kong Court Orders Defamation Payout of HK$3.12M, June 04

A Hong Kong court ruled that actress Zhang Weiyi won her defamation case against her sister-in-law Pan Biyu. The judge ordered Pan to pay HK$3.12 million in damages plus interest. Pan had posted on Facebook and told media outlets that Zhang was greedy and misused a HK$1 million family gift. The court found these statements false and damaging to Zhang’s reputation and mental health.

What the Court Found

The judge ruled that Pan Biyu’s Facebook posts and media statements contained false accusations. Pan described Zhang as greedy, vain, and dishonest. The court found that a reasonable person reading these posts would believe Zhang had misused a HK$1 million gift from her father-in-law for her own education instead of for her child’s schooling. The judge determined these statements were defamatory and caused Zhang mental suffering.

The Damages Breakdown

The court ordered Pan to pay HK$3 million in compensation for general damages and HK$127,000 for special damages. General damages cover harm to reputation and emotional distress. Special damages cover specific financial losses. The judge also noted that Zhang suffered a miscarriage due to emotional stress from the accusations, which contributed to the damages award. Pan’s counter-claim was rejected entirely.

The Family Dispute

Zhang claimed Pan became jealous after her father-in-law gave her HK$1 million as a gift following the birth of her child. Pan disputed this, saying she came from a wealthy family and would not be envious. Pan accused Zhang of trying to steal family assets and made serious allegations including claims of witchcraft. The court rejected all of Pan’s counter-accusations as unfounded.

What Happens Next

Zhang posted on social media that the court’s decision vindicated her but acknowledged the case had no real winner. She said the damage to her reputation and the loss of her child could not be fully repaired by money. She stated she would move forward and focus on her work. The court declined to order either side to issue a public apology.

Final Thoughts

A Hong Kong court ordered a sister-in-law to pay HK$3.12 million for defamation over false Facebook posts and media statements. The ruling protects individuals from damaging false accusations in public forums and shows courts will enforce defamation law to award substantial damages.

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