Kingdom of Bahrain (defendant/appellant) v Shehabi & anr (claimants/respondents)

Monday 29 – Tuesday 30 July 2024

By Appellant’s Notice filed on the 7 November 2023 this is the Defendant’s appeal against the order made by Julian Knowles J, sitting in the King’s Bench Division, dated 1 March 2023 dismissing D’s application concerning state immunity. D also appeals against the order for costs.

The Cs claim they suffered an adjustment disorder when they discovered their computer had been infected with FinSpy spyware.

Cs allege that D secretly installed FinSpy on their computers, which allowed D to conduct surreptitious surveillance on them. The C claim damages for personal injury in the form of psychiatric injury which they say they suffered as a result.

D applied for order declaring that it is immune from jurisdiction of the court in relation to Cs’ claim under s1(1) State Immunity Act 1978 (SIA).

View hearing:

Day 1

Part 1

Part 2

Day 2

Part 1

Part 2