Not every offensive publication is defamatory — Samuel Alesu-Dordzi

A Partner at AudreyGrey, Samuel Alesu-Dordzi, has cautioned that not every publication that annoys, embarrasses or hurts a person’s feelings amounts to defamation, stressing that the law is specifically concerned with damage to reputation.

He said such reactions often trigger immediate threats of legal action, even though the law of defamation is narrower in scope and focuses specifically on injury to a person’s reputation.

He explained that a message, statement or publication may be irritating or emotionally hurtful, but that alone does not satisfy the legal threshold for defamation.