It's not uncommon for large companies, particularly American ones, to find themselves in court after individuals sue them for compensation. Disney is a company that regularly comes under fire for incidents that occur in the group's theme parks. This time, the big-eared company is being accused by a widow who believes the group is responsible for the death of her husband because of a film.
Disney targeted by a lawsuit again
Recently, Disney was the subject of a lawsuit from a customer who injured herself in the Typhoon Lagoon water park in Florida. The latter is seeking $2 million in damages after suffering leg injuries in one of the park's pools. But this time, it's an even more serious case because it concerns the death of the husband of a woman who accuses Disney of being responsible because of a film. Or rather, a documentary by National Geographic, which belongs to the company with the big ears.
Indeed, in the documentary entitled Retrograde, we can follow the final months of the war in Afghanistan waged by the Americans for twenty years. We see a specialized Afghan unit in charge of neutralizing improvised explosive devices. Among this group was Afghan Omar Khan. After the documentary aired on National Geographic and Hulu in December 2022, images began circulating on TikTok in Afghanistan showing a close-up of Omar. Shortly after, he was captured by the Taliban, who held and tortured him for more than two weeks. Omar Khan died of his injuries in April 2023 at the age of 25.
Disney and National Geographic failed to protect Omar Khan
Omar's widow therefore decided to file a lawsuit for her husband's preventable death. Military personnel had warned that if the Afghans appeared with their faces uncovered, there was a risk of reprisals. Neither the director nor the producer recall receiving this warning and described the man's death as tragic.
The lawsuit filed targets Hulu, National Geographic, and Disney. Despite receiving three Emmy Awards in 2023 and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Documentary Feature, National Geographic has decided to remove Retrograde from its platforms. Khan's family lawyer said Omar hoped the documentary would show his courage in standing up to the Taliban while taking basic steps like simply blurring his face. Disney has not yet commented on the case, which is currently before the Los Angeles Superior Court.
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