The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) has added Azimut-Benetti S.p.A. to its public “Gallery of Shame”. The entry concerns legal proceedings against Tomasz Wrzesiński, a Polish yacht broker, creator of the W Yachts channel and publisher of RynekJachtow.pl. CASE links the proceedings to two videos that criticised the Italian yacht-building system.
What CASE says
According to the information published by CASE, the proceedings included demands for the removal of the two videos and for Wrzesiński to stop further publication concerning Azimut-Benetti. The organisation also states that non-compliance was threatened with a penalty of €25,000 for each day.
CASE further reports that interim relief was obtained without Wrzesiński being heard before the order was issued. The organisation presents the case in the context of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, commonly known as SLAPPs.
The full entry concerning the group is available in the CASE “Gallery of Shame”.
An advocacy assessment, not a court judgment
Inclusion in the CASE gallery is an external assessment made by a civil-society organisation. It is not a court judgment and does not, by itself, determine the merits of Azimut-Benetti’s claims or the legal liability of either party.
CASE describes itself as a coalition of more than 120 non-governmental organisations from Europe and beyond. Its work includes documenting proceedings that, in its assessment, may restrict participation in public debate, as well as supporting journalists, activists, whistleblowers and other public watchdogs.
The European anti-SLAPP context
EU rules designed to address abusive proceedings against participants in public debate entered into force in May 2024. The European Commission says the framework provides procedural safeguards in cross-border civil cases, including the possibility of early dismissal of manifestly unfounded claims and the recovery of costs from a claimant who has brought abusive proceedings.
This does not mean that every case brought against a journalist, expert or online creator is automatically a SLAPP. Any such classification requires an assessment of the individual circumstances and the applicable law.
Disclosure of conflict of interest
Tomasz Wrzesiński is the publisher of RynekJachtow.pl and a party to the proceedings described above. For that reason, this report is limited to the public CASE entry and the wider legal context. The newsroom does not assess the merits of the claims or comment on the pending dispute.
RynekJachtow.pl remains open to a response from Azimut-Benetti. A statement sent to redakcja@rynekjachtow.pl will be published subject to the normal legal and editorial standards.
Our product and market coverage remains separate from this matter. For the English edition’s practical coverage of the September yacht market, see our buyer’s guide to the 2026 Cannes Yachting Festival.
Further updates will be based on documents, statements from the parties or decisions issued by the relevant authorities.
To be continued.
