Navy Veteran Suing CNN for Defamation ‘Did Not Act Criminally or Illegally’: Court

CNN had argued that Zachary Young’s acts were illegal under Taliban rule.

CNN headquarters area one day prior to the presidential debate in Atlanta, Ga., on June 26, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

A U.S. Navy veteran who is suing CNN for defamation did not commit any illegal acts when he helped people evacuate from Afghanistan, according to an Oct. 22 ruling.

Zachary Young sued CNN in 2022 after the network aired segments about him and others who became involved in private evacuation efforts in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country. At one point, emblazoned over one of Young’s messages about facilitating evacuations for a fee, CNN said that “Afghans trying to flee Taliban face black markets, exorbitant fees, [and] no guarantee of safety or success.”