Zug affair: Weltwoche author acknowledges verdict
Philipp Gut, deputy editor-in-chief of Weltwoche, has decided not to appeal a ruling by the Zurich High Court to the Federal Supreme Court. He is therefore guilty of multiple defamation charges against the former Green cantonal councillor in Zug, Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin.
Following the Zurich District Court, the Zurich High Court also found Gut guilty of defamation in mid-June (Werbewoche.ch reported). Gut had written that the former Zug cantonal councillor Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin had only made up the alleged defilement by SVP cantonal councillor Markus Hürlimann in order to cover up her infidelity.
The High Court sentenced Gut to a conditional fine of 60 daily rates of CHF 130 each with a probationary period of two years. Gut must also pay Spiess-Hegglin CHF 2,500 in satisfaction and compensation for her legal fees.
The higher judges therefore confirmed the district court's ruling from May 2017, finding that Gut did not have sufficient evidence to support his claim. The Weltwoche-The author always claimed that his article was correct and factual. He had good sources and stuck to the core statements of the text.
Nevertheless, he has now decided not to appeal to the Federal Supreme Court. This was reported by various CH Media publications on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the Zurich High Court confirmed to the Keystone-SDA news agency that the ruling became legally binding on October 2. (SDA)
